Bath v Northampton Saints - Teams and Prediction
PREVIEW: Johann van Graan won the Challenge Cup with Bath last season, and now have the opportunity to eliminate the 2024/25 Champions Cup runners-up in their quest for the competition’s main title.
Northampton Saints came out on top the last time they visited Bath, but Friday’s quarterfinal promises a different context.
As well as sitting pretty in the PREM’s top two spots, both Bath and Northampton Saints have enjoyed a glittering history in recent EPCR seasons.
Bath have gone from strength to strength a year on too, qualifying for the Champions Cup final eight for the first time in 11 years – a feat that head coach Van Graan is all too aware of:
“It’s the first time that we as a group have got into this position in this competition, and from a club point of view for a very, very long time,” he said.
They’ll be coming up against the pace and free-flowing Saints – a side that have already beaten them at The Rec this season (41-21).
“We took quite a bit of learning a few months ago when we played Northampton here,” Johann van Graan said.
“Northampton are a fantastic team, and both teams are currently playing some fantastic rugby. I’m sure it’ll be a fantastic contest on Friday evening.”
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While keen to draw from that memorable 21-41 win in the PREM last December, Northampton Saints head coach Phil Dowson wants to make sure the side does not rest on its laurels.
“It’s a completely different game and psychological remit, but we’ll try to replicate the things that went well that day,” he said.
“You take elements from it, but equally they’ll be speaking about that, so they’ll be bringing the intensity to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Bath will be keen to make use of their star-studded cast, including Player of the Year nominee Alfie Barbeary, Finn Russell and Henry Arundell, among others.
The hosts’ squad depth is an element Saints’ Fraser Dingwall was keen to stress:
“They’ve got huge amounts of power, not only up front but amongst the backs.
“They go forward and have power, so you can’t sit back and wait,” he explained.
The centre went on to detail the heightened motivation there is for Friday, given that a second Final will be within reach should the side come through in the West Country.
“It’s a one-off; there’s no return leg, so that’s what’s cool about this game.
“The ability to take on a side that you play regularly adds a bit more to it.”
Dingwall believes that there is still more to come from the men in Black Green and Gold.
Despite ultimately earning a 49-41 victory at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens over French visitors Castres Olympique in the Round of 16, by their own admission, Saints’ performance wasn’t of the standards the squad expect from themselves.
Dingwall feels levels will be raised at The Recreation Ground as the last two Gallagher PREM Champions go head-to-head in an all-English last eight contest.
“The thing about this tournament is that there is no shortcut to the Final,” Dingwall explained. “You have to beat the best to be called the best.
“What I do know is that when you face difficult opposition, that’s when you get the greatest reward, so we’re very excited for Friday night.
“We’re building towards the heights that we know we can reach, and hopefully that comes Friday night.”
*See teams and prediction below!
Prediction
Rugby365: Bath by two points
Teams
Bath: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Henry Arundell, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Cameron Redpath, 11 Will Muir, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben Spencer (captain), 8 Miles Reid, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Guy Pepper, 5 Charlie Ewels, 4 Quinn Roux, 3 Billy Sela, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Beno Obano
Replacements: 16 Kepu Tuipulotu, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Ted Hill, 21 Bernard van der Linde, 22 Santiago Carreras, 23 Alfie Barbeary
Northampton Saints: 15 George Furbank (captain), 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Rory Hutchinson, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Archie McParland, 8 Henry Pollock, 7 Tom Pearson, 6 Josh Kemeny, 5 JJ van der Mescht, 4 Tom Lockett, 3 Cleopas Kundiona, 2 Curtis Langdon, 1 Danilo Fischetti
Replacements: 16 Craig Wright, 17 Emmanuel Iyogun, 18 Elliot Millar-Mills, 19 Ed Prowse, 20 Callum Chick, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Tom Litchfield, 23 George Hendy
Date: Friday, April 10
Venue: Recreation Ground, Bath
Kick-off: 20.00 BST (19.00 GMT)
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Eoghan Cross (Ireland), Ben Breakspear (Wales)
TMO: Ollie Hodges
Sources: EPCR & Northampton Saints
