Taylor: No one will stop us
New Bath signing Simon Taylor says there are very few clubs that are going to get close to Bath over the course of this season.
Taylor signed for the South West club from Stade Francais this summer and says he has been impressed by everything at the club since he walked through the door to sign his contract.
Bath are one of the favourites for the Premiership title this season after owner Bruce Craig pumped huge financial investment into the club. This has enabled Bath to sign the likes of Taylor, Lewis Moody, Sam Vesty and more in order to bring silverware to the Rec.
Taylor has a high number of skills and attributes that will allow him to play a big part in Bath's season. However, the club is going to be under extreme pressure to succeed throughout the season.
Skills and attributes
Taylor's main position is in the back-row but he has the ability to move forward and play a more central or attacking role. This versatility is something that will make him a very important squad player because he will fill in when the club inevitably picks up injuries over the season.
He is a very strong and physical player and this is important for any player who plays in back-row defence. It means he can throw himself towards another player with a tackle or challenge, doing anything to bring down that attack.
Taylor can move the ball very quickly. He is not the best long passer that Bath has but he can pick out players in crowded areas that will immediately allow Bath to set-up a counter attack and get down the other end of the field.
Taylor said: "The first four weeks have been pretty horrible in terms of training very hard. The pre-season's good but you just want to get stuck into the season. The idea of coming to Bath was immediately attractive. I came over here on match day for the Heineken Cup last season and it was an incredible place to be."
Standard of the club
The standard of the club both on and off the field is very good. Bath is a great little club just off of the main town centre and the team is always well supported. Any top-flight club knows that support has the ability to make the difference on a tight match day.
Bruce Craig has not just put money in to aid the team, he has spent the money that goes towards improving facilities, which makes it easier to train and to recover from injury. Bath also has a very modern and slick ground on which to play.
Taylor added: "The young guys are really impressive. They are fully ready to go, both physically and with their skills. There is such quality in the second-row that I can't see me playing there unless there's a massive injury problem. The goal is to start the season well."
Betting advice
There have been positive vibes coming out of Bath all summer long and it seems as though everyone at the club is zoned in on winning the title and paying back the owner for enabling the success.
There is pressure at Bath but it looks as though everyone is going to thrive on it. The club failed to get a good start last season so if they get some early wins on the board then it could be worth having a punt on them to win the title.
Avoid backing Taylor to score points at the club. He is a defensive player and will find it difficult to get forward.
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