Bath Rugby is focused on improving their red zone conversions as they prepare to host Sale Sharks, aiming to secure a crucial home win to maintain their chances in the PREM Rugby Cup. With the second block of pool stage matches underway during the Six Nations period, the club is determined to stay competitive.
Currently holding third place in Pool A with six points from one win in three games, Bath narrowly lost 19-17 to Gloucester away last weekend. The team missed several key opportunities to extend their lead, including a missed penalty by teenager James Linegar, highlighting areas for improvement.
This year’s revamped PREM Rugby Cup format advances the top two teams from each pool into semi-final knockout rounds. Sale Sharks lead Pool A with 15 points, followed by Bath’s Saturday opponents, Sale, in second with 12 points after a convincing 34-3 win over Exeter Chiefs last weekend. Sale fielded a near-PREM-standard squad, underscoring the quality of the upcoming challenge.
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Bath’s academy pathway coach, Ryan Davis, who will lead the squad at the Rec, said: “We are taking it one week and one game at a time. We want to win at home and learned a lot from the Gloucester match. This weekend, we aim to put on a show for our supporters and reach 10 or 11 points in the standings. There’s still plenty of rugby left in this competition, and the boys are ready and chomping at the bit.”
Key players Ewan Richards, Kepu Tuipulotu, and Vilikesa Sela, all of whom featured off the bench in England A’s recent 29-25 comeback win over Spain, have returned to Bath and are in contention for selection this weekend.
Amidst this, Bath faces intense competition on three fronts this season. Although not publicly declared, the club is keen to make a strong impression in the Investec Champions Cup, kicking off at home against Munster in two weeks. With many top players on international duty, head of rugby Johann van Graan must carefully balance player selection across these demanding fixtures.
Adding to the complexity, World Rugby rules require international players with significant autumn match time, such as England’s Guy Pepper and Scotland’s Finn Russell, to rest for one of the first three club games post-international duty. This regulation presents opportunities for emerging talent deeper in the squad but also creates challenging decisions for Bath as they seek to win critical matches.