Preview: Premiership, Round 15
No.8 Amanaki Mafi has scored each of their last three tries but any reliance on their forwards would have been unthinkable last season, when Bath's free-flowing game almost saw them to the title.
Mike Ford's side are without the likes of his son George, Anthony Watson and Jonathan Joseph – who are all on international duty with England – and have struggled with a lack of fluidity going forwards this term.
But hooker Batty believes the side is close to their best form despite slipping to five defeats from their last six games, and is hopeful the forwards can provide the basis for a revival in the business end of the season.
"After that first half an hour against Exeter we hardly spent any time out of their half, so there were positives to take from it even if were massively disappointed with the result. Two tries from the rolling maul is good news. The conditions were difficult to start with, but it's good to have that drive going as well as it is at the minute.
"It's something that we work really hard on, and we work very hard on our scrum as well. We didn't have the same joy on Sunday as we did with the driving maul, but it's important to have that string to your bow. It is something we can fall back on to get us points.
"Amanaki has impressed since coming in, but to be fair it is all our hard work up front that does it for the lad. He carries the ball very well, he's energetic, he works very hard and he has been massively involved in the games so far.
"It's nice to have that with people like Leroy Houston and Amanaki flying around and getting that front-foot ball for the whole team. We've just got to take every game as it comes now and keep on looking at ourselves. All the games recently have been so tight, and you can see from all the losing bonus points that we've had that we're not far off," he said.
We look at all the Round 15 action!
Friday, March 4
Newcastle Falcons v Worcester Warriors
(Kingston Park, Kick-off: 19.45 GMT)
Worcester Warriors have won just one first team game since mid-November. They won 28-20 when the two clubs met at Sixways in Round Four but have never manged to achieve a double over the Falcons in the same season. Worcester were triumphant on their most recent visit to Newcastle.
Teams:
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Simon Hammersley, 14 Alex Tait, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Adam Powell, 11 Marcus Watson, 10 Andy Goode, 9 Michael Young, 8 Ally Hogg, 7 Nili Latu, 6 Will Welch (captain), 5 Sean Robinson, 4 Mark Wilson, 3 Taione Vea, 2 Scott Lawson, 1 Rob Vickers.
Replacements: 16 George McGuigan, 17 Alex Rogers, 18 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 Callum Chick, 21 Sonatane Takulua, 22 Craig Willis, 23 Juan Pablo Socino.
Worcester: 15 Chris Pennell, 14 Bryce Heem, 13 Wynand Olivier, 12 Ryan Mills, 11 Cooper Vuna, 10 Tom Heathcote, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 GJ van Velze (captain), 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Phil Dowson, 5 Darren Barry, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 1 Val Rapava Ruskin.
Replacements: 16 Niall Annett, 17 Na'ama Leleimalefaga, 18 James Johnston, 19 Dan Sanderson, 20 Sam Betty, 21 Luke Baldwin, 22 Ryan Lamb, 23 Andy Symons.
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Saturday, March 5
Sale Sharks v Harlequins
(AJ Bell Stadium, Kick-off: 14.30 GMT)
Harlequins' only victory in their last six fixtures was a 25-19 home win over Leicester in Round 13. The Londoners have slipped to four straight away defeats and have not lost five in a row on their travels since 2009/10.
Harlequins' only loss to Sale in their last 10 encounters was 12-16 at Twickenham Stoop in November 2014. Harlequins have won on their last five visits to Sale in all tournaments.
Teams:
Sale Sharks: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Will Addison, 13 Sam James, 12 Johnny Leota, 11 Tom Arscott, 10 Joe Ford, 9 Chris Cusiter, 8 Mark Easter, 7 David Seymour (captain), 6 TJ Ioane, 5 Andrei Ostirkov, 4 Bryn Evans, 3 Brian Mujati, 2 Neil Briggs, 1 Eifion Lewis-Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Tommy Taylor, 17 Ross Harrison, 18 Vadim Cobilas, 19 Jonathan Mills, 20 Cameron Neild, 21 Peter Stringer, 22 Danny Cipriani, 23 Mark Jennings.
Harlequins: 15 Ross Chisholm, 14 Marland Yarde, 13 Matt Hopper, 12 Harry Sloan, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Ben Botica, 9 Tito Tebaldi, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Luke Wallace, 6 Mat Luamanu, 5 James Horwill (captain), 4 George Merrick, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Dave Ward, 1 Mark Lambert.
Replacements: 16 Rob Buchanan, 17 Owen Evans, 18 Will Collier, 19 Charlie Matthews, 20 James Chisholm, 21 Sam Egerton, 22 Joe Marchant, 23 Charlie Walker.
Referee: Ian Tempest
Gloucester v Wasps
(Kingsholm, Kick-off: 15.00 GMT)
Wasps are the best side on current form, having won their last six matches and dropped only three possible league points in the process. Wasps' only away defeat in the competition since Round Three came when they visited Sale on January 2.
Wasps have won their last six encounters with Gloucester since the Cherry & White's 29-22 victory at Kingsholm in September 2012.
Teams:
Gloucester: 15 Rob Cook, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Bill Meakes, 12 Billy Twelvetrees, 11 Henry Purdy, 10 James Hook, 9 Greig Laidlaw (captain), 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 Matt Kvesic, 6 Sione Kalamafoni, 5 Jeremy Thrush, 4 Tom Savage, 3 John Afoa, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Paddy McAllister.
Replacements: 16 Darren Dawidiuk, 17 Yann Thomas, 18 Paul Doran-Jones, 19 Mariano Galarza, 20 Lewis Ludlow, 21 Callum Braley, 22 Billy Burns, 23 Henry Trinder.
Wasps: 15 Rob Miller, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Charles Piutau, 12 Siale Piutau, 11 Frank Halai, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 George Smith, 6 Thomas Young, 5 Kearnan Myall, 4 James Cannon, 3 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 2 Edd Shervington, 1 Matt Mullan (captain).
Replacements: 16 Ashley Johnson, 17 Simon McIntyre, 18 Lorenzo Cittadini, 19 Bradley Davies, 20 Sam Jones, 21 Jamie Stevenson, 22 Ruaridh Jackson, 23 Brendan Macken.
Referee: Luke Pearce
Bath v London Irish
(Recreation Ground, Kick-off: 15.15 GMT)
Bath have won 11 of their last 12 encounters with London Irish over the past seven seasons. London Irish have not been victorious at the Recreation Ground since winning there 16-0 in November 2009.
Teams:
Bath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Ollie Devoto, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Matt Banahan, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Chris Cook, 8 Amanaki Mafi, 7 Francois Louw (captain), 6 Matt Garvey, 5 Dominic Day, 4 Charlie Ewels, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Max Lahiff.
Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Beno Obano, 18 David Wilson, 19 Stuart Hooper, 20 Leroy Houston, 21 Guy Mercer, 22 Jonathan Evans, 23 Horacio Agulla.
London Irish: 15 Sean Maitland, 14 Alex Lewington, 13 Ciaran Hearn, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Topsy Ojo, 10 Theo Brophy Clews, 9 Scott Steele, 8 Rob McCusker, 7 Luke Narraway (captain), 6 Ian Nagle, 5 Elliott Stooke, 4 Matt Symons, 3 Halani Aulika, 2 David Paice, 1 Tom Smallbone.
Replacements: 16 Tom Cruse, 17 Tom Court, 18 Leo Halavatau, 19 Jerry Sexton, 20 Blair Cowan, 21 Darren Allinson, 22 Greig Tonks, 23 Fergus Mulchrone.
Referee: JP Doyle
Saracens v Northampton Saints
(Allianz Park, Kick-off: 15.15 GMT)
Saracens were victorious at Franklin's Gardens in Round Four and have not achieved a double over the East Midlanders since 2012/13. Northampton are the only visiting side to have won twice at Allianz Park, doing so in the 2013 semi-final and Round Eight last season.
Teams:
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Mike Ellery, 13 Duncan Taylor, 12 Brad Barritt (captain), 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Nils Mordt, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Jackson Wray, 7 Kelly Brown, 6 Michael Rhodes, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Hayden Smith, 3 Petrus Du Plessis, 2 Jamie George, 1 Richard Barrington.
Replacements: 16 Jared Saunders, 17 Hayden Thompson-Stringer, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Alistair Hargreaves, 20 Jacques Burger, 21 Neil De Kock, 22 Marcelo Bosch, 23 Nathan Earle.
Northampton Saints: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 George Pisi, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Tom Collins, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Lee Dickson (captain), 8 Teimana Harrison, 7 Tom Wood, 6 Jamie Gibson, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Courtney Lawes, 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Mikey Haywood, 1 Alex Waller.
Replacements: 16 Reece Marshall, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Paul Hill, 19 James Craig, 20 Sam Dickinson, 21 Tom Kessell, 22 JJ Harrahan, 23 Harry Mallinder.
Referee: Thomas Foley
Sunday, March 6
Leicester Tigers v Exeter Chiefs
(Welford Road, Kick-off: 15.00 GMT)
Exeter Chiefs have won their last two games and are the second best away team after Saracens, picking up 22 points on the road this season. Exeter won 19-6 when the two clubs met at Sandy Park in November.
The only previous occasion that the Chiefs have achieved a double over Leicester was in 2011/12.
Teams:
Leicester Tigers: 15 Mathew Tait, 14 Adam Thompstone, 13 Peter Betham, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Vereniki, Goneva, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Jono Kitto, 8 Ed Slater (captain), 7 Lachlan McCaffrey, 6 Tom Croft, 5 Dom Barrow, 4 Mike Fitzgerald, 3 Logovi'i Mulipola, 2 Harry Thacker, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 17 Riccardo Brugnara, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Graham Kitchener, 20 Mike Williams, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Owen Williams, 23 Telusa Veainu.
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Matt Jess, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Sam Hill, 11 James Short, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Dave Lewis, 8 Don Armand, 7 Julian Salvi, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Ollie Atkins, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Jack Yeandle (captain), 1 Moray Low.
Replacements: 16 Elvis Taione, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Harry Williams, 19 Lewis Stevenson, 20 Kai Horstmann, 21 Will Chudley, 22 Will Hooley, 23 Max Bodilly.
Referee: Matthew Carley
