Head Coach: Mike Ford
Captain: Stuart Hooper
Position 2013/2014: 5th
Predicted Position 2014/2015: 4th
Bath Rugby Preview
Bath look in good shape for the new season and have recruited well. They had the third best defence in the Premiership, and will be hoping to improve on that record this season.
Their main area for concern is creativity in attack. Mike Ford and his backroom team have added some very good players to the squad, but they are short of options at scrum half with Peter Stringer and Micky Young their only recognised number nines.
George Ford will control things at out half and the team will revolve around his form. If he performs to the best of his ability, Bath will be a force to be reckoned with. His understudy from last season, Tom Heathcote, has left. At this stage has not been replaced and this is a worry for Bath fans.
Sam Burgess is their marquee signing and is expected to play in the back row when he arrives from Australian Rugby League side South Sydney Rabbitohs, although this has yet to be confirmed by the club. Burgess is a wrecking ball of a man and will cause major problems for any opposition team with ball in hand. His transition to rugby union could be a highlight of the season.
Henry Thomas will look to build on his summer tour with England and his battle with Paul James for the starting loose head prop position will be titanic. Nick Abendanon will be sorely missed at Full Back, but Luke Arscott is a more than capable replacement and rising star Anthony Watson can also play at full back.
Stuart Hooper will captain the team again this term and is an inspirational leader in the mould of former stalwart Steve Borthwick. Hooper’s second row partner, Dave Attwood and the stand out premiership flanker from last year: Francois Louw, will be the enforcers in the pack along with the captain and this trio provide just an element of one of the most feared forward packs in the Premiership. Expect Bath Rugby’s best play to come from that area this season.
Players In:
Henry Thomas (Prop) from Sale Sharks
Nick Auterac (Prop) from Saracens
Grant Shiels (Prop) from Newcastle Falcons
Will Spencer (Second Row) from Academy
Sam Burgess (Back Row / Inside Centre) from South Sydney Rabbitohs Rugby League
Luke Arscott (Full Back) from Exeter Cheifs
Players Out:
Anthony Perenise (Prop) to Bristol Rugby
Charlie Beech (Prop) to Leeds Carnegie
Ryan Caldwel (Second Row) to Exeter Chiefs
Nick Koster (Back Row) to Bristol Rugby
Martin Roberts (Scrum Half) to Ospreys
Tom Heathcote (Fly Half) to Edinburgh Rugby
Tom Biggs (Wing) to Worcester Warriors
Nick Abendonan(Full Back) to Clermont Auvergne
Eusebio Guinazu (Prop) Released
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