Injuries mount for Bath

Mears and Stevens doubtful for play-offs

Last updated: 10th May 2008

Lee Mears Bath v Gloucester Guinness Premiership May 08

Mears: shoulder injury

There is an eight-day turnaround so the players have a chance to recharge and get this out of their system.

Steve Meehan
Quotes of the week

Related links

Teams

Players

Also see

Lee Mears and Matt Stevens are fitness doubts for Bath's Guinness Premiership play-off fixture against Wasps on May 18.

Bath lost 8-6 at leaders Gloucester on the final day of the regular season, meaning they face a trip to Adams Park, while their conquerors have a Kingsholm appointment with defending champions Leicester in the other semi-final.

Both hooker Mears (shoulder) and prop Stevens (knee) left the field prior to the hour mark against Gloucester, who also suffered a major injury concern in front of watching England manager Martin Johnson when Mike Tindall limped off nursing an ankle problem.

"We are disappointed with the result, we didn't execute things as we should have done," said Bath head coach Steve Meehan.

"We will have to play the breakdown area a lot better against Wasps. We will need to throw everything at them.

"There is an eight-day turnaround so the players have a chance to recharge and get this out of their system.

"Clearly, it would be a tremendous result to go to Wasps and win, it is a tremendous challenge."

Unique style

Despite Tindall's early departure, Gloucester kept their shape and discipline to book a home semi-final.

James Simpson-Daniel's 34th-minute try proved just enough to win the match and preserve Gloucester's place at the Premiership summit.

"There is no special recipe for success," said head coach Dean Ryan.

"We have got to work hard during the week. Wasps play a certain way and Bath have a pretty unique style.

"We will need to look at how Leicester have played the last few games, looking at their strengths and weaknesses."