Bath rue set-piece sorrow during slender Saints defeat
Bath Rugby's inability to control the set-piece cost them the chance to move to the top of the Aviva Premiership table when Northampton Saints' pack bludgeoned them to an 18-14 victory at The Rec.
Forwards coach Neal Hatley highlighted the area as where the match would be won and lost in the lead up to the contest. Bath did not heed the warning, however, and could not get to grips with the visitors' powerful scrum, slipping to a first defeat of the campaign.
The powerful Saints pack outmuscled their home counterparts, who continued to give away penalties through indiscipline. Northampton fly-half Steven Myler took full advantage and kicked the visitors to the head of the standings.
"If we are brutally honest we weren't accurate enough at the set-piece," said a disappointed Hatley after the match.
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"We went from scrums and lineout drives to penalties and they banged three points over. That's their bread and butter.
"As the game wore on we got more and more into it but consistency at the set-piece is where we need to improve. Northampton are one of the best around at the set-piece, so that's where we want to be."
Bath opted to replace their entire front-row at the same time midway through the second half, with the hosts hoping that fresh legs would boost their ailing scrum.
It failed to work, however, and with the pack failing to function for so long, Hatley suggested there could well be changes in personnel for next Saturday's trip to London Irish.
"We asked Davey Wilson to go hell for leather for as long as possible but it just so happened that all three blew up at the same time," said Hatley.
"We recognise that there's no way we can keep the same guys out and we will head down to London Irish next week and have one or two changes because we need to keep these guys fresh."
Comments
by colincaos
Sunday, September 16 2012, 9:29PM
“Set pieces we can put right with hard work and fitness. We also need to look like we're up and enthusiastic for the challenge! The slow, painful walk to line outs for example just makes me despair. Why do we do this? No one else does and it just looks like we're tired! The real worry for me however is the simple lack of creative talent.....line breaks? Off loads? Who can do this? Certainly no-one at 12 or 13. Barkley kicks so much because he's told to! The coaches don't want us playing in our half and they are calling and signalling "kick" to him from the bench all the time, especially Booth!”
by Proud2beBath
Saturday, September 15 2012, 10:13PM
“Yes we struggled at the set piece and the lineout got worse as the evening went on - both sides struggled (Sky's lights?) but I don't think the pack were that bad. I believe the difference was the inept, aimless and frankly pointless kicking away of possession at key moments, mostly by Barkley, that handed the game to Northampton! It was always going to be tight and so Bath needed to have more patience and build through the phases. Take more of a measured approach and control of the game. Barkley seemed to get more edgy as the game wore on, particularly in the last quarter. Bath's problems were only compounded by a ref who gave some strange decisions, particularly at the scrum. OK I am going to be biased here, but on one particular occasion in front of the hospitality boxes one Northampton prop turned in and the other stood up. Result? We were penalised! Can somebody explain please? Cannot think that much has changed in the 20 years since I played in the front row!?”