Bath vs Saracens Team News

Bath: 15 Nick Abendanon, 14 Matt Carraro, 13 Dan Hipkiss, 12 Ben Williams, 11 Tom Biggs, 10 Sam Vesty, 9 Michael Claassens, 8 Simon Taylor, 7 Carl Fearns, 6 Ben Skirving, 5 Ryan Caldwell, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 Kane Palma-Newport, 2 Pieter Dixon, 1 David Flatman (capt)
Replacements: 16 Ross Batty, 17 Nathan Catt, 18 Duncan Bell, 19 Will Spencer, 20 Guy Mercer, 21 Mark McMillan, 22 Paul Roberts, 23 Jack Cuthbert

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 David Strettle, 13 Adam Powell, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 James Short, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Neil de Kock, 8 Ernst Joubert, 7 Andy Saull, 6 Justin Melck, 5 Mouritz Botha, 4 Steve Borthwick (capt), 3 Carlos Nieto, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Rhys Gill.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Deon Carstens, 18 Mako Vunipola, 19 George Kruis, 20 Will Fraser, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Charlie Hodgson, 23 Joe Maddock.

Big suprise for me that Farrell has retained his spot in the first team as he was dire last weekend.

Identical starting 15 isn't it? Part of the Sarries rotation plan? Same team for the first couple of games, then switch. Makes sense not to drop someone after a single competative game mind. Don't see the point.

Good to see Mako in there. Wonder how he'll do. We seem to have a few U20 props getting quickly into the 1st XXIII if not starting. Will he be another?

Could well be Hammer, Rhys Gill isn't the greatest loosehead going so should Vunipola do the business I would imagine he will get a chance in the starting line up.

A rotation system is all well and good but even so there has got to be a form element and players can't feel they'll get games irrelevent of their form they need to know that they have to earn the opportunity.

Sam I thought most of the team was poor to be honest.

On the other handI thought Gill was pretty good actually. Nieto is one of the best scrummagers in the AP in my opinion so I expect us to have the upper hand in the scrum once again.

The rest of the pack were uncharacteristically poor.

Defensively the difference between Wasps and Saracens were basically only those two poor tackles by Strettle and Hodgson.

Wasp's first try should have been disallowed because of a forward pass.

Every player needs to nail their tacklers though.

The team is unchanged because players are being given an opportunity to put behind a rubbish performance. It's all about continuity and showing faith in players. On paper Saracens are strong, they are just need to play as well as we know they can.

I feel that Saracens need to play with a bit more freedom - less kicking of the ball, go through the phases, build up possession. Be patient. Build up pressure and the points will come.

Contrary to popular opinion Saracens have players that can attack. We need to put faith in them.

It is simply about doing the basics well.Last week Saracen's basic skills were poor.

Bath will be confident, they are at home, on the back of a first win of the season, they have a quite decent team.

Where do you think Bath will attack Saracens? The breakdown? The lineout? From the counter with two dangerous players in their back three - Biggs and Abendanon?

If you were Bath what would be your gameplan to beat Saracens?

You say people doubt sarries players attacking ability but that is because they don't get the chance. Sarries have put together a great backline with power and pace but It's a waste whilst the selected fly half refuses to pass.

If sarries don't up their game then bath will be able to target them in most facets of play. If sarries find their rythm then they are capable of deconstructing a tactically limited bath side.

Beshocked, unfortunately most tries have something that should have been picked up, be it knock on, forward pass, offside, blocking, etc.

Regarding Gill,I think the comment about Gill was regarding Mako's chance of getting some starting chances (or bench when Stevens is back) if he does well in the early games.

NB Just watching Fiji v Namibia with your man Burger. Crazy, it's like a big game of 7s.