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Bath head coach Mike Ford is expecting a new challenge from Toulouse when he takes his team to the south of France for a make or break game in their European Rugby Challenge Cup campaign. - 16/01/2015 09:52
Bath head coach Mike Ford is expecting a new challenge from Toulouse when he takes his team to the south of France for a make or break game in their European Rugby Challenge Cup campaign.
Guy Noves’ side stand unbeaten at the top of Pool 4 after four successive victories, including their 21-19 triumph at The Recreation Ground, and are a win away from qualifying for the quarter-finals or the 15th time in their history. Bath need to end with two big wins after losing their opening two games.
But while Toulouse are the only team in the Champions Cup who can boast a 100% record, their form in the Top 14 has been patchy and Ford believes that has led to a change in style since the teams first met.
“They’ve changed the way they play since last time. They had gone through a few defeats when they played us at home, they were very cautious and quite easy to read.
“They’re running the ball from their in-goal area now, turning penalties down at goal which are kickable, quick line-outs, quick taps, quick 22 restarts. But they’ve got a lot to lose at the weekend – they’re at home and they’re the favourites to go through,” said Ford.
“We’re preparing for the unexpected, but obviously if they play a different way, we’re ready for that as well. If they want to play in their own half, and we defend well and keep our shape, there are going to be opportunities to win the ball back.
“We’ve done a lot of work this year on our counter attack, our ‘chaos’ attack if you like, but if you defend loosely they’ll rip you apart.”
Bath will be without new England wing Semesa Rokoduguni, while skipper Stuart Hooper is suffering from soreness in his leg that needs to be assessed before the team is announced. Springbok back row star Francois Louw missed the first-leg, but his back row battle with Thierry Dusautoir could be vital to the outcome.
Toulouse have won eight out of their 10 home games this season and were last beaten at Stade Ernest Wallon by Grenoble, 25-22, on 29 November in the Top 14. They currently lie in seventh place in the Top 14, while Bath are second in the Aviva Premiership.
Bath are six points behind Toulouse in pool four with two games to go, meaning if they lose on Sunday they will be out of the continent’s premier competition at the first stage.
“We’re excited about playing Toulouse at their place – we want to see how good we are,” admitted Ford. “We’re under a bit of pressure and it would hurt us professionals if we got knocked-out because we want to play in the best competition at the business end of the season.
“But if that happens it won’t change the week after, in terms of the way we want to win that game against Glasgow as well. It wouldn’t hurt the team, the belief and the place we’re in at the moment.”
Bath went to Toulouse in their final Pool game in 2000 and overturned their home defeat in a famous 19-14 victory. This will be the sixth meeting between the two teams in Europe with Toulouse having three wins and Bath one, with one game drawn.
Match Facts
- Toulouse have won seven of their last eight games in the competition, their best run since winning 11 in a row in a run which saw the French side lift the trophy for the fourth time.
- Bath have lost four of their last five away games in France, though their last visit across the Channel produced their largest ever away win in the country (30-5 vs Montpellier).
- Anthony Watson has beaten 15 defenders in this season’s competition, at least two more than anybody else.
- Toulouse have produced 70 offloads in the Champions Cup this season; a competition high.
Une impressionnante démonstration de Bath à Ernest-Wallon a empêché les Toulousains de valider leur billet pour les quarts (18-35). Les Rouge et Noir joueront leur qualification le week-end prochain à Montpellier. - 18/01/2015 17:38
Francois Louw scored Bath’s fourth try to inflict Toulouse’ heaviest home Champions Cup defeat.
Louw dived over eight minutes from time to complete an impressive win at Stade Ernest Wallon.
Matt Banahan, Chris Cook and Jonathan Joseph all crossed in the first-half as Bath raced into a 25-7 lead.
Toulouse responded through Yoann Maestri and Yoann Huget but 15 points George Ford completed a victory that keeps them in the Champions Cup to the final week of pool games.
Horacio Agulla immediately put Bath on the front-foot allowing Ford to kick the opening points and within seven minutes they had found a way through for the game’s first try.
Cook picked up possession after a pass went to ground and Francois Louw’s long pass sent Banahan over for his 14th Champions Cup try.
Toulouse responded through their driving lineout that saw Maestri touch down for a try that was converted by Flood.
However Bath stunned Stade Earnest Wallon with two tries in the space of four minutes to lead 22-7.
Banahan almost scored a second from Kyle Eastmond’s kick before Cook raced almost the length of the field for Bath’s second after intercepting a pass by opposite Jean-Marc Doussain.
Banahan was then the provider of the scoring pass for Joseph after Eastmond’s break through the heart of the Toulouse defence.
Bath thought they had clinched the bonus just four minutes later but Anthony Watson was prevented from touching down by Toby Flood and Vincent Clerc so they had to settle for a second Ford penalty.
Toulouse, trailing 25-7, mounted a recovery that began with Huget scoring in the left-hand corner from a scrum.
Flood converted and added a penalty on the stroke of half-time before adding a second early in the second-half to cut Bath’s advantage to seven points.
Yannick Nyanga went close to further reducing that lead from Jean-Marc Doussain’s burst but was held up over the try line by Ford.
Toulouse had turned the tables on Bath but twice the visitors’ scrum helped clear the danger and Banahan was fortunate to escape punishment for a high-tackle.
Bath finally clinched the bonus eight minutes from time when Joseph’s kick and chase ended with Louw diving over. Ford converted and added a penalty on the final whistle.
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