Saffas help Bath go top
2 Oct 2008
South Africans scored 22 of Bath’s 27 points as their victory over Wasps sent them to the top of the English Premiership.
Scrumhalf Michael Claassens and Durban-born prop Matt Stevens opened the scoring for Bath, while a second half try from hooker Pieter Dixon and seven points from the boot of Butch James resulted in a 27-23 win over the defending champs. New Zealander Joe Maddock scored Bath’s other try.
The match was wonderboy Danny Cipriani’s comeback game after an ankle injury, but apart from three penalties and a conversion, he didn’t have much positive impact for Wasps. His spilled ball from an up-and-under from James led to Claassens’s opening try, while he was only on the field for 51 minutes.
Meanwhile, Heyneke Meyer’s Leicester hit back after their first loss of the season to Wasps on Friday with a 29-19 win over Northampton. England internationals Toby Flood and Dan Hipkiss crossed the whitewash in the final 10 minutes to send Leicester to second on the log, but Meyer admitted the close matches are taking their toll on him.
“My hair is grey after only five games, so I don’t know how I will survive the season,” said Meyer.
“There was a lot of pressure on the players after the defeat to Wasps and they showed a lot of character. I’m very proud of the guys. They played great rugby in the first half, but we didn’t execute. I thought if we kept pressuring them in the second half, the tries would come and that’s how it turned out.
“I knew we had to keep playing direct and positive in the second half and I thought Hipkiss’s experience made a big difference.”
18 Comments
2 Oct 2008, 07:58 am
Dragons!!!!!!!
2 Oct 2008, 08:00 am
Damn YOU # Bullish!!
2 Oct 2008, 08:02 am
where would the english be without a saffa or two?
2 Oct 2008, 08:05 am
#2 Darquan: The most nervous time of my day is when I get onto to keo, see an article with 0 comments, and then have to wait for the system to log me on.
Does anyone know if Butch is finding some form?
2 Oct 2008, 08:06 am
Wasn’t Pieter Dixon born in Zimbabwe
2 Oct 2008, 08:11 am
#5 Candy: no peter dixon is pmb born
2 Oct 2008, 08:11 am
made natal schools and ended up playing for wp
2 Oct 2008, 08:13 am
#4 Bullish: i read a comment in one of the papers from someone who was at the game (it wasn’t televised):
I thought Butch was utterly outstanding today – ignore the missed pots at goal, there was only one world class outside half on display and that was he. His kicking from hand kept Wasps pinned deep in their own half and made them run from deep; his distribution consistently found runners to challenge the Wasps defence and his defence and reading of the game was exceptional.
How he does some of those kicks off the side of his boot and in the opposite direction to that in which he runs is beyond me – a delicate chip almost put Lucky Jack in and a late game touchfinder that marched Wasps back 60 yards when they needed a Try to win it.
The Messiah’s running and passing was top class today, but the rest of his game was pretty rusty – keep the second coming on hold for a bit I think!
the messiah is cipriani btw
2 Oct 2008, 08:25 am
#8 Big Hit: Good to hear. Just hope he holds onto it for the end of year tour.
When is Butch gonna take a break though?
2 Oct 2008, 08:31 am
#9 Bullish: Maybe the next couple of games. The crappy anglo-welsh cup is on and the GP sides aren’t supposed to be taking it seriously this year. One thing i would say about the tour is SA probably need another goal-kicker on the field if Butch plays, he’s been hit or miss in that respect.
2 Oct 2008, 08:42 am
#8 Big Hit: What is wrong with SKY? The idiots have now stopped covergae of rugby and are pouring out only drops at a time.
I have phoned so many times to complain, please do the same
2 Oct 2008, 08:54 am
#11 JL1: I have no idea but its bloody annoying. That game would’ve been awesome to watch. They’re showing the lesser fixture Worcester v Harlequins tonight when they could’ve had Wasps v Bath with Cipriani’s return last night. Pretty shoddy.
2 Oct 2008, 09:04 am
#12 Big Hit: I mean they can even do it on interactive.
I first thought that they are discriminating againts SH rugby, but over the years it has become clear that they discriminate against rugby in total
2 Oct 2008, 11:14 am
we help the english teams win rugby matches, cricket matches, damn we are a very giving nation!
2 Oct 2008, 11:57 am
#12
#11
For the last 2 evenings,The Champions League coverage took up all 4 of SKY’s main sports channels and its interactive service.
There is no wendyball on tonight, hence coverage of the Warriors-Quins game.
2 Oct 2008, 13:10 pm
#15 PaulLondon:
Are you Paul London the wrestler?
2 Oct 2008, 15:20 pm
Nooooooo!
2 Oct 2008, 17:24 pm
#17 PaulLondon: pauld in drag?
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.