Comeonmylovers.co.uk - "That is the blueprint for Bath"
"That is the blueprint for Bath"
Whatever you think about Austin Healey - absolutely spot on.
Certainly looks like the way for us to play, great result.
When Healey concentrates on analysing the game he is as good as anyone. Otherwise he annoys the hell out of me with the baiting of everyone around him, like a pathetic 15 year old Grammer schoolboy. I'm pleased he gave the MOM award to a Bath second row today, I just think he got the wrong one. Stooke was magnificent.
Stooke has been magnificent all season and like Healey, Eddie Jones has selected the wrong Bath second row for England duty as well.
Keep it up Elliott you deserve our thanks and international recognition.
Do international players have to be chosen from the womb?
Or does a good old bloke a chance?
I thought we may get through the week without a Ewels dig since he wasn't actually playing, but of course I was wrong. Of course I was.
Stooke is an excellent second row and I'm a big fan but the issue maybe that he has no real point of difference over a lot of very good aggressive bashing locks, like Spencer etc. Eddie is attracted to players who have a USP such as Itoje and he has seen something in Ewels (lineout leader?) which he likes...don't be a hater.
Ah Ewells, The source of all evil!!!!!!!!!!!
I know that Flats rates him, but I simply don't get the Spencer love in.
A big guy, yes. But little else.
Agreed. Flats talked him up and to be fair he hit a lot of people in the game but his technique was flawed I thought.
He was so keen to tackle and then smash through his man that if he tackled the offloader or was drawn to a decoy runner, he was still connected to the player he was tackling, smashing him, long after Bath had moved on to the next phase exploiting the hole he'd left. Needs to do more than crunch people me thinks to challenge Lawes or Launchbury who always seem to be back up looking for work.
Watched Spencer for a couple of games since the chat on here. Very strong and committed. Good speed with the ball too. When I was watching him defend he seemed slow to get up and get in position. Seems like he was really blowing. I'm not talking about against us btw, didn't notice him as much at all tbh. Apart from the occasional hit.
When I've watched him, and please remember I don't know much, he hasn't looked like he's got much of an engine in comparison to say, Stooke. Spencer looked completely gassed after 50 minutes. Like, totally immobile, hands on knees, not holding the guard position despite it being his role (in the games I've paid attention to). Very slow to get into position. What do I know? But I wouldn't think that's not what TB would be looking for.
I think in modern rugby, a tight 5 player has to really get about the pitch. Incredibly tough and not everyone has the engine for it.
I don't know why Ewels is disliked by some on here. I personally think he is a seriously good player. He seems to have been in the team for while now which is perhaps why everyone forgets that he is only 22!! He is still a very young guy learning his trade.
He and Stooke as well are not the same type of player. Stooke is more your big enforcer type who works relentlessly all game to hit stuff and cause damage. He's great at it and at 24 has tons of growth still to do which means England honours could easily follow!
Ewels is more of your lineout operator and thinking second row. He has the finer touches of skill whereby he can step in as a first receiver and spread the ball nicely. He can also play 6 and is effective there.
This isn't to say that neither of the two can do the same as the other but there are a few differences between a 4 and 5 that set them apart. Can't we just be happy that we have two great young players and that one of them is getting some international recognition in what is arguably England's most competitive position given any two of Launchbury, Lawes, Itoje, Kruis, Isiekwe and Ewels could start and the difference would not be so extraordinarily large that you'd notice between any of them!
Is there anyone other than BOB who doesn't like Ewels?
Can Ewells do this though?
Ewels and Stooke are Bath's best current combination - despite Charteris's international pedigree.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2018 19:57 by Boldangrey.
1-Agreed totally about Healy. When he can stop being a bad case of thrush and just concentrate on rugby, he is very good, some marginal pro-Leic/antiBath biased but that understandable.
2-Would have had cook as man of the match. I thought his work round the breakdown, speed of service, kicking, his snipes to set up 2 trys, harrying around the park was exemplary. Was summed up by his kick from the turnover on our line and the chase to then pin them on their own 10m.
Bring back rucking and speed up the game. Simples, for rucks sake.
Right you are.. I try my best to stay off of the singling out individuals so tend to add plurality where required to avoid doing so! I appreciate the majority probably like Ewels and the vast majority of the rest of our team!!
Was Phillips performance last Friday a touch of Exeter at Bath Rugby? An unsung hero being MOM and playing for the team!
Brew and Stooke have been like that all season. Plucked from nowhere (or at least not playing) and giving it their all every week.
Lahiff not far off the same.