Fifth position, won 12 and lost ten with five try scoring bonus-points to their name.
That’s a very short numerical summary of Bath Rugby’s 2016-17 Aviva Premiership Season while in Europe they had that dramatic semi-final loss at the Stade Jean-Bouin. Overall it was a season that had a head-turning start but one that didn't quite drive them to the domestic play-offs as they wanted.
At the recent Aviva Premiership launch Todd Blackadder sat opposite me and said that he started his side’s pre-season with a ‘really robust review about our game’. Now that shouldn't have alarm bells ringing for Bath fans, instead it's something that you'd expect him to do before moving into his first full pre-season at the club. The DoR followed on by saying that as well as looking at some structural areas of their game they've focused on their away form as that's an area he wasn't happy with last season. His viewpoint on it is as follows;
“It has to be psychology because we play differently away from home. When we go away we play and we execute differently so we’ve put all of these things in pre-season and we’ve played all of our pre-season games away.”
Like so many at the helm of Aviva Premiership clubs the New Zealander is looking for consistency of output over the course of the 2017-18 season. He’s clear that they while they may get beaten on the day - losing happens to all sides - being there or there abouts every single week is critical. He's very clear about wanting to see his team put their game on the park for 80 minutes, no matter where they are and no matter which side they’re facing.
Leicester Tigers (A), Saracens (H), Northampton Saints (A), Newcastle Falcons, (H) Wasps (A) and Worcester Warriors (H) make up their first six outings so it's clear that the early Premiership road isn’t going to be a walk in the park. The opening two fixtures especially are big tests and they get more testing when you throw into the mix Bath’s early season injuries. Nathan Catt, Ross Batty and Michael van Vuuren all aren’t expected to be ready for this weekend meanwhile Henry Thomas and Max Lahiff are both reported to be targeting a return in late September according to Dan Evans at the Bath Chronicle. However Welford Road awaits regardless as does the tremendously large spotlight that will be cast on that match due to the fierce rivalry between the two clubs and the recent switch of personnel. Both of these factors will only add to the pressure on the opening weekend. Todd Blackadder is certain - as I am - that both fly-halves will ‘play the house down’ and if Leicester and Bath embrace the pressure on them and deliver we could see one of the matches of the season on the opening weekend. Following that trip, it’s Saracens at home…
“It doesn't get any easier but you’re going to play the best so bring it on. I’m not afraid of our tough start… it doesn’t create anxiety for me, more excitement. They are two games that you could win or two games that you could lose but they won’t define the season.”
As with the case with all clubs, the season will be defined come Round 22 and their position in the table. A top four finish is the target and whether they achieve that or not will come down to ironing out their consistency and having few injury stars line up nicely for them.
If you read down their list of their personnel then Bath’s squad remains a strong and talent filled one. New arrivals, Sam Underhill and Freddie Burns in particular, will be eager to show their considerable talents in blue, black and white and academy member Josh Bayliss impressed Todd Blackadder in pre-season against Bristol. A tough start may be the making of Bath because if you start showing that can do things the hard way then it sets it up nicely when the slightly kinder areas of the fixture list arrives later on.
Opening Six Matches: Leicester Tigers (A), Saracens (H), Northampton Saints (A), Newcastle Falcons, (H) Wasps (A) and Worcester Warriors (H)
Champions Cup Group: RC Toulon, Scarlets, Bath Rugby and Benetton Treviso
Key Player: Freddie Burns. A Bath attack without George Ford is going to take some getting used to as he is such an outstanding talent and drove them superbly. The aim for Bath's new fly-half will be to put his stamp on the jersey and use it to showcase his own box of tricks.
