SAINTS, OR MAYBE SINNERS
Mitchell: talent
By Bath Supporter Jack
October 6 2026
After the first two rounds of the Premiership it looks like the current season is going to be, firstly very, very competitive and secondly very high scoring. In the first round of the five matches four were away wins and in the second round this reduced to the more normal two away wins. The total points scored in the first round exceeded the previous record even though there were fewer matches.
Also, I cannot remember when, if ever, the local teams, Bath, Gloucester and Bristol occupied the first three places in the league as they do today. Gloucester has, with a Welsh infusion and the development of some of their younger players, made real strides forward. Bristol with a marginally more pragmatic approach coupled with their undoubted attacking flair maybe getting the winning balance.
Bath against Harlequins who seem to be the team that appear to be struggling the most in these early encounters, had a solid away win. The same could be said about the home match against Exeter. Solid but unspectacular, apart of course for Santi’s try against Harlequins!! In fact, when Rob Baxter was spoken to during the second half, he felt Exeter were very much in it still because Bath’s tries were from an interception and a “lucky” bouncing ball. However, there was a famous golfer once who said, “the more I practice the luckier I get”!! Undoubtedly Bath are doing……OK, without setting the world alight! However, as we know it is a very long season and no one wins anything in October!
I watched the Ben Youngs/Dan Cole “For the love of Rugby” podcast reviewing the coming season and they had Newcastle and Harlequins as the bottom two, which I have to say surprised me and which is where they are today and had Northampton and Bath as the top 2. Well not quite at this stage as Bath are third and Saints fourth.
Saints match against Bristol last week was in fact very close until the last 15 minutes when Saints had a try disallowed and Bristol went down the other end and were awarded a penalty try…..a 14-point shift.
Saints with Mitchell, Smith, Dingwell, Hendy and Freeman are a fantastically talented team….no wonder the braided Pollock wanted to stay and renew his contract.
A win this week for Bath would be outstanding and would round off this parcel of Premiership games in style. However, 2 points would be a good return taking our points to 12 out of the first 15 with two away games. All the top 3 are away with Gloucester away at Leicester and Bristol away at Saracens so it would be extraordinary if the Top 3 all remained unbeaten after this weekend.
Slight tweaks with the selection to bring Bayliss back into the team and of course I don’t believe we know Cam Redpath’s fitness given his knock to the face last week.
Possible Team
15 Santi Carreras
14 Joe Cokanasiga
13 Max Ojomoh
12 Ollie Lawrence
11 Tom de Glanville
10 Finn Russell
9 Bernard Van Der Linde
8 Dan Du Preez
7 Guy Pepper
6 Josh Bayliss
5 Charlie Ewels
4 Quin Roux
3 Will Stuart
2 Tom Dunn
1 Beno Obano
16 Dan Frost
17 Scott Kirk
18 Archie Griffin
19 Ted Hill
20 Ewan Richards
21 Tom Carr Smith
22 Cam Redpath
23 Jaco Coetzee
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Do you think JvG will use so many from last week -or rotate a little more?
If he does choose your selection, I think he would swap Ojomoh & Lawrence around- as per debate in "Ollie Lawrence" thread.
PG
I'm fully expected rotation this week myself. Four games left until the end of this block, two of which are home and will be 'first choice' (whatever that means in a given week) so expect the major shuffling in either this one or Glos away in a couple of weeks and the Northampton trip seems the more obvious candidate to me with 10 points banked and a Euro game coming next.
Sounds like van der Linde and de Glanville both picked up knocks on Friday night so we may be a bit bare bones at 1 and 9 this week (Obano has to rest at some point you'd think).
Rotated squad pushed Saints to the limit last season so no reason that couldn't happen again. Hopefully good minutes coming for Jeanes, Green, Opuku-Gyamfi and one or two of our back three prospects if so.
Bayliss to captain as he sat out last week maybe?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:10:06:15:41:23 by theredseat.
Rest a lot of the first team before the Montpellier match and the final two Prem games before the International break.
[www.northamptonchron.co.uk]
Kirk, Kepu, Griffin, Jeanes, Molony, Richards, Bayliss, Green, TCS, Donoghue, Offiah, Ojomoh, Hennessy, Griffin, Carreras
Frost, Wheeler, Verden, Bennett, Reid, Davies, Emens, Opoku-Gyamfi
Centres look short if Hennessy not ready. Emanuel hasn’t played for Cardiff yet this season so possible he’s brought back for the week? Would be nice to see Treacey senior involved but not sure if he’s fit
[www.bathrugby.com]
Quote:exbathballboy
A lot of injuries in the backs, perhaps we might see Griffin given a chance on the wing.
I mean, Archie's a good player and everything, but that seems a bit of a stretch - especially if he's up against Freeman.
... IMHO, of course.
Now in Honolulu
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:10:06:23:19:03 by joethefanatic.
Quote:joethefanaticQuote:exbathballboy
A lot of injuries in the backs, perhaps we might see Griffin given a chance on the wing.
I mean, Archie's a good player and everything, but that seems a bit of a stretch - especially if he's up against Freeman.
Nope ...... Charlie
Quote:shipwreckedQuote:joethefanaticQuote:exbathballboy
A lot of injuries in the backs, perhaps we might see Griffin given a chance on the wing.
I mean, Archie's a good player and everything, but that seems a bit of a stretch - especially if he's up against Freeman.
Nope ...... Charlie
... IMHO, of course.
Now in Honolulu
Quote:joethefanaticQuote:shipwreckedQuote:joethefanaticQuote:exbathballboy
A lot of injuries in the backs, perhaps we might see Griffin given a chance on the wing.
I mean, Archie's a good player and everything, but that seems a bit of a stretch - especially if he's up against Freeman.
Nope ...... Charlie
Yep, thats fair, but with Van De Linde, Spencer, Arundell, Muir, De Glanville and with Big Joe and Hennessy potentially missing the game, thats almost a whole backline.
To be fair Donohgue could play on the wing but we need to develop our own players, thats why we have a large squad. It would be nice to see Griffin or Winters make the bench.