8 www.RUGBY TIMES.com 22 May 2009
2008-2009 REVIEW
A CRYING SHAME!
4th/
Losing semi-finalists
By JON NEWCOMBE
C
OME the end many Bath
supporters were not sure
whether or not the season had
been more part success or more part
failure. But there was no mistaking
the emotions of star prop Matt
Stevens when he broke down on Sky
Sports News on the eve of the
titanic Heineken Cup tie against
Toulouse.
Stevens' heartbreaking confession to
a drugs addiction, which resulted in a
PLAYER OF
two-year ban, was a pivotal moment in
Stevens' eventual exclusion plus viewing audience of 300,000, making it to have an effect, despite head coach
THE SEASON
the club's season. Like the celluloid
injuries to other key performers, such as one of the most watched games of the Steve Meehan's pre-season
version of the crying game, Bath were
scrum-half Michael Claassens for a season on the satellite station, saw Bath protestations that Bath would not miss Joe Maddock
caught with their trousers down and
crucial six-week period, captain
and Toulouse slug it out in the most Olly Barkley's accuracy in front of goal.
their tail between their legs.
Michael Lipman at regular intervals
miserable of conditions. The controversial postponement of
A season that promised so much
My gut reaction at the time, as well
and Danny Grewcock for all bar four
The 3-3 draw was enough for both the Wasps fixture due to a frozen pitch
for Bath eventually ended in
as feeling sympathy for a thoroughly
games, meant that Bath did not quite
sides to go through to the knockout led to a situation where Bath had to
disappointment but the form of
decent human being and his obvious
have enough substance to last the
stages but privately Bath must have felt play three games in eight days as March
Joe Maddock would have been
angst in revealing his inner torment,
distance.
like they'd missed a trick by not turned into April.
one of the major positives for the
was that Bath's season - certainly their
securing higher seed status and a home Meehan opted to field a weakened
West Country club.
hopes in Europe - had been shafted in
The club with plenty of show
quarter-final, which ultimately cost team at Sale in the first of the three
The New Zealander ended the
one foul swoop because Stevens was so
ultimately had nothing to show for the
them dear as they exited the installments which resulted in a losing
season as the league’s top try-
integral to the way the side played.
swagger that was on display up until
bonus-point defeat. Had Bath gone all-
scorer with 11 and finished in the
While it would extreme to pin the
the Toulouse game when The Rec was
competition at the hands of Leicester.
out for the win at Edgeley Park who
top two in each of Bath’s attacking
blame for the failure of the club to
doused by torrential rain to put even
It was not the only time Bath missed
knows how things would have turned
stats categories.
convert the first half of a season of
more of a dampener on their season
a trick. The inability to close matches
out or go for the kill on other occasions out.
His total of 25 clean breaks was
promise into silverware on one man,
than Stevens' tears 48 hours earlier.
was very much evident in the As it was, a hard-fought midweek
A packed house and a Sky Sports
the best in the Premiership and his
Premiership where Bath, with their free- win over Wasps was followed by a
regular season total of 1466 metres
BATH - GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP STATS 2008-2009
flowing brand of rugby, were a joy to humbling 3-19 home loss to Harlequins,
was the third best in the
watch. Winger Joe Maddock clearly and all of a sudden Bath found
BACKS
competition.
enjoyed the expansive approach, themselves on the cusp of missing out
Apps Carries Metres Tackles Misses L/O won Pen Con Defs Btn Tries
Other leading performers were
Alex Crockett 16 113 590 111 8 0 9 10 3
finishing as the league's top try-scorer on the play-offs.
Nick Abendanon (most metres in
Andrew Higgins 15 95 613 40 11 0 3 15 5
with 11 to his name. A brilliant fightback at Newcastle
Butch James 20 70 375 125 33 1 11 6 2
the league) and Butch James
Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu 14 86 351 61 8 0 0 14 0
The home league win against showed the character of the side,
(second most points).
Jack Cuthbert 10 44 345 19 4 0 1 5 1 Leicester was one of the best matches I
particularly as it came on the back of
GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP STATS
Joe Maddock 19 176 1509 66 18 1 5 31 11
Matthew Banahan 17 163 1218 48 5 0 4 27 4
can remember at The Rec, and not just their agonising loss to Leicester in the Matches ....................................................19
Michael Claassens 15 91 354 94 15 2 5 10 5 for the thrilling finish. It certainly put Heineken Cup quarter-final. It was also
Carries ....................................................176
Michael Stephenson 8 34 192 11 1 1 3 2 0
the Cook Cup clash between England
Metres ..................................................1509
Mike Baxter 5 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
another game where cross-code convert
Tackles ......................................................66
Nick Abendanon 17 207 1570 46 12 5 8 50 2 and Australia being played at the same Shontayne Hape showed his credentials Missed Tackles..........................................18
Ryan Davis 4 26 145 33 5 1 1 3 0
time firmly in the shade. in union.
Penalties Conceded ....................................5
Scott Bemand 21 47 157 64 9 2 6 2 0
While Butch James' last-gasp try A final-day win over Saracens
Defenders Beaten ......................................31
Shaun Berne 17 55 308 58 5 0 3 6 1
Shontayne Hape 11 106 442 74 0 1 1 26 1
Clean Breaks ............................................26
sealed a 25-21 win for Bath (their only secured a play-off berth, but crucially
Tom Cheeseman 10 46 173 37 3 0 1 2 1
success in five attempts against the Bath were left with another trip to
FORWARDS
Tigers as it turned out), that game in Leicester in the semis, which proved a back up in each and every position was
Apps Carries Metres Tackles Misses L/O won Pen Con Defs Btn Tries
November was a rare example of Steve match too far for a side that by that evident as the minds and bodies grew
Aaron Jarvis 9 12 13 12 1 0 0 1 0
Andy Beattie 17 120 254 93 6 3 6 4 1
Meehan's men showing the necessary stage of the season looked patched up tired.
Chris Goodman 3 3 9 6 0 0 0 0 0
composure when things got tight. and worn out compared to the dashing Whether Bath have the financial
Daniel Browne 13 81 258 104 6 18 9 9 5
Danny Grewcock 2 24 42 20 3 4 1 1 0
Defeat to Saracens, in particular, figures of a few months before. muscle to address this and have two
David Barnes 14 55 83 65 4 1 5 1 0 was both inexplicable and inexcusable While Bath can be satisfied with top-class performers for every position
David Flatman 14 45 53 65 9 0 15 0 0
Duncan Bell 23 56 146 82 5 5 15 2 1
as Bath started to waste the games in much of their rugby this season - the is debatable, but if they don't it'll be
James Scaysbrook 19 81 228 111 5 14 10 2 0 hand they had on the opposition. way they embraced the ELVs was a hard to see them avoid getting stuck
Jonny Fa'amatuainu 21 108 433 91 11 33 13 12 4
Josh Ovens 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Missed kicks from James were starting lesson to others - the lack of quality with the 'nearly men' tag.
Justin Harrison 22 100 146 169 8 42 12 3 0
Lee Mears 12 110 248 63 2 0 8 7 0 BATH - GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP RESULTS 2008-2009
Mark Lilley 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
Matt Stevens 7 53 222 45 1 0 8 5 1 Date Opponents Result Scorers Att
Michael Lipman 12 68 150 92 6 9 6 4 2 Sept 7 Bristol (a) 33-20 T: Cheeseman, Fa'amatuainu, Maddock. C: James 3. P: James 4.
Paulica Ion 5 3 6 9 2 0 0 0 0 Sept 13 Gloucester (h) 17-21 T: Abendanon, Lipman, Maddock. C: Berne. 10,600
Peter Short 21 108 286 171 2 19 5 8 1 Sept 20 London Irish (a) 20-16 T: James. P: Cuthbert 3, James 2.
Pieter Dixon 14 53 168 44 4 1 4 6 3 Sept 27 Worcester Warriors (h) 37-19 T: Abendanon, Bell, Berne, Lipman, Maddock. C: James 3. P: James 2. 10,600
Rob Hawkins 13 61 260 25 2 0 4 3 2 Oct 1 London Wasps (a) 27-23 T: Claassens, Dixon, Maddock, Stevens. C: James 2. P: James.
Stuart Hooper 22 98 235 157 9 52 14 4 3 Nov 15 Leicester Tigers (h) 25-21 T: Browne, Dixon, James. C: James 2. P: James 2. 10,600
Nov 22 Northampton Saints (a) 28-28 T: Browne, Cuthbert, Fa'amatuainu. C: James 2. P: James 3.
TOP PERFORMERS
Nov 30 Harlequins (a) 14-21 T: Browne. P: James 3.
Dec 20 Sale Sharks (h) 24-20 T: Banahan, Browne. C: James. P: James 4. 10,600
Carries Defenders beaten Lineouts Won
Dec 27 Northampton Saints (h) 25-14 T: Claassens 2, Banahan. C: James 2. P: James 2. 10,600
Nick Abendanon ................207 Nick Abendanon ..................50 Stuart Hooper ......................52
Jan 4 Leicester Tigers (a) 22-24 T: Dixon, Hooper, Maddock. C: James 2. P: James.
Joe Maddock ......................176 Joe Maddock ........................31 Justin Harrison ....................42
Feb 14 Worcester Warriors (a) 34-17 T: Higgins 3, Maddock. C: James 4. P: James 2.
Matthew Banahan ..............163 Matthew Banahan ................27 Jonny Fa'amatuainu..............33
Feb 21 London Irish (h) 20-20 T: Banahan, Hooper, Maddock. C: James. P: James. 10,600
Metres Clean Breaks Tries
Feb 28 Gloucester (a) 27-36 T: Hawkins 2, Higgins. C: James 3. P: James 2.
Nick Abendanon ..............1570 Joe Maddock ........................26 Joe Maddock ........................11
Mar 7 Bristol (h) 45-8 T: Crockett 2, Maddock 2, Browne, penalty try. C: James 6. P: James. 10,600
Joe Maddock ....................1509 Nick Abendanon ..................18 Michael Claassens ..................5
Mar 15 Saracens (a) 16-20 T: Crockett. C: James. P: James 3.
Matthew Banahan ............1218 Matthew Banahan ................14 Andrew Higgins ......................5
Mar 21 Newcastle Falcons (h) 36-25 T: Maddock 2, Beattie. C: James 2, Berne. P: James 5. 10,600.
Mar 27 Sale Sharks (a) 16-23 T: Fa'amatuainu. C: Cuthbert. P: Davis 3.
Tackles Offloads Points
Apr 1 London Wasps (h) 22-14 T: Fa'amatuainu. C: James. P: James 5. 10,600
Peter Short ........................171 Matthew Banahan ................27 Butch James ......................212
Apr 4 Harlequins (h) 3-19 P: James. 10,600
Justin Harrison ..................169 Joe Maddock ........................26 Joe Maddock ........................55
Apr 17 Newcastle Falcons (a) 15-14 T: Claassens, Hape. C: Davis. P: Davis.
Stuart Hooper ....................157 Nick Abendanon ..................18 Ryan Davis ..........................32
Apr 25 Saracens (h) 33-18 T: Banahan, Higgins, Short. C: Davis 3. P: Davis 4. 10,600
May 9 Leicester Tigers (a-SF) 10-24 T: Claassens, Hooper.
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