Guinness Premiership : It's a question of believing

It's a question of believing - Meehan

16 May 2008, 12:11 pm

By Jonathan McConnell

As the Guinness Premiership reaches it concluding chapters, Bath Rugby remains with sights set firmly on silverware. Having lost by just two points to Gloucester last weekend, analysis and evaluation has been at the forefront of the team's minds to ensure that the errors of last weekend do not re-emerge on Sunday against London Wasps.

When faced with Wasps at home and away earlier this season, Bath were unable to secure the victory, but Head Coach Steve Meehan believes that it was lack of focus, not skill that spelt defeat: "I think the thing about various points in both matches, is that we didn't concentrate and we dropped off. The first fifteen minutes of the second half here at The Rec really illustrated our problems that day. Before and after that it was a good match."

Having lost the chance to play a home semi-final, Meehan has also been reflecting on how to progress from last Saturday: "What we have to work on from last week is our selection in regards to where we go and attack. We have to try and shift the ball, be comfortable on the ball and make sure we recycle well and find a space.

"Of course, apart from that, it is a matter of concentrating and playing for the 80 minutes and I truly believe that if we had played the second half in the same way that we played the first, we would have ended up winning that game against Gloucester.

"We know our game. It's just a question of believing in it and seeing it through. If we execute it as well as we can, we are a difficult team to stop."

The team facing London Wasps on Sunday 18th May are:

15. Joe Maddock
14. Andy Higgins
13. Alex Crockett
12. Olly Barkley
11. Matt Banahan
10. Butch James
9. Michael Claassens
1. David Barnes
2. Lee Mears
3. Matt Stevens
4. Steve Borthwick (c)
5. Danny Grewcock
6. Jonny Faamatuainu
7. Michael Lipman
8. Daniel Browne

16. Pieter Dixon
17. Duncan Bell
18. Peter Short
19. Chris Goodman
20. Mike Baxter
21. Shaun Berne
22. Nick Abendanon