It Will Be Hard But We Can Beat The Irish!

Action Again
By Glen Leat
August 29 2002

At the start of another season we see that neither Catt, Cooper nor Borthwick are playing, with Perry and Balshaw some distance from fitness. We couldn't start with a home game, no we have to play our first two games away and so stand a good chance of facing Wasps having played two and lost two.

With Andy Williams still unfit our pivotal positions of scrum half and fly half will be filled by Ross Blake and Chris Malone, with Olly Barkley standing in at full back. Given all the injuries and our lack of success in the transfer market this summer you wouldn't really want to be Michael Foley when having to perm 15 from God knows how many fit and active players (15 probably).

But we're not downhearted are we? Of course not! It's the start of another season, we are joint leaders of the league and who knows we might be able to string a full 80 minutes of good rugby together to stand some chance of beating the Irish. Going by the performances in Wales recently Foley had better get his men to pretend that the first half is the second half and the second half is another second half.

Personally I would have chosen Jonathan Humphreys to be skipper this year but there you are. I don't subscribe to the view that he has joined Bath for a nice little earner at the end of his career I genuinely believe that he will play his heart out for us and we be very motivational on the field. I am also looking forward to Dan the Man picking up where he left off a couple of seasons ago and, along with Humphreys, inspiring his fellow forwards to victory.

I think it is very exciting having Jack and the Aussies at the help of our previously sinking ship and therefore I am going to start the season in positive mood by predicting a narrow victory for Bath.

Click here to see other predictions made by readers of this site.

Click on to the London Irish site for their perspective on things.

Click here to read about the encounter between Bath and London Irish earlier in the year.

See you all at Reading, many of you hopefully wearing your Classic Bath shirts to remind us all of our glory years!

In preparation for this clash let's have a look at a few recent statistics.

Biggest Win

Player Greats

Last Meetings (Bath scores first)