Meehan praises debutants
Bath head coach Steve Meehan says the club already owes a debt of gratitude to the debutants that helped secure a win over Leeds in the first Premiership match of the season.
Simon Taylor, Lewis Moody and Sam Vesty all made their first appearances for the club that is looking to secure the Premiership title this season. Meehan has said that the debutants have been able to spread their energy and enthusiasm to the rest of the team.
Bath strolled to a 32-16 win over Leeds at Headingly to get their Premiership campaign off to the perfect start. Bath has some real quality in the playing squad this season and it will be important that the side can maintain this early momentum.
Having a high number of debutants in a team can create a high number of positive effects that get the team playing better. However, sides will quickly realise how these debutants play in the Bath team and will account for it.
Positive effects
The biggest effect that all of the debutants seem to have had, and are having, at Bath is creating some real energy and enthusiasm. When Moody and Vesty signed from Leicester, they quickly said that Bath has everything needed to win the league this season.
These are quality players that the club has signed. They will have an external positive impact but their main job is on the playing field. Vesty showed in the 32-16 win that he is a quality kicker and this will score Bath a lot of points over the course of the season.
There is no friction between the debutants and the coaching staff at Bath. This suggests that Bath has a very good unity and squad harmony. The debutants would not have signed for the club if they thought they would potentially have an issue with Meehan or another coach.
Meehan said: "We’re very happy with the debutants’ performances. Sam has settled in very nicely. He enjoys the way we are trying to play and brings a bit of pragmatism to our game as well, which is something we need from time to time. He is very solid defensively, he took the right option, delivered the ball pretty accurately and his goal kicking wasn’t bad."
The problems
The problems are actually quite obvious issues. The debutants have come in and opposition sides have not been able to reflect on the roles that these new players have in the Bath team. It will not take long for sides to work out how Bath are using their new players.
This means that Bath's opposition will quickly develop a strategy over how to stop the new and influential players that have joined the South West club. As soon as this happens the pressure will be right back on Moody, Vesty and the rest to prove their quality and find a new way of playing.
Meehan added: "Simon Taylor is an excellent player. He slipped into Bath under the radar. No-one talked about him for the previous three years when he was away in France. He has been marvellous throughout the season and I thought he was magnificent today."
Betting advice
Everything seems to be going the right way for Bath at the moment. The new players that have arrived at the club are settling in well and doing their jobs efficiently. They are good enough to find new ways of playing if they are challenged.
Bath are a very strong bet to lift the Premiership title at the end of the season. Get a bet on the side now before they secure another big win and the odds shorten even more.
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