Connolly demands more

Bath have made one change as John Connolly asks for Bourgoin improvement.

Bath v Bourgoin

Heineken Cup, Recreation Ground, Saturday October 29, KO 14.15pm

Bath head coach John Connolly is demanding a better performance from his troops ahead of their clash with Bourgoin, despite the fact that they have now gone five games unbeaten.

Steve Borthwick led his team to a historic victory over the heavily-fancied Leinster in Heineken Cup week one, but Connolly felt things could have gone better.

"We were not terribly efficient and our tactical kicking could have been better, but we scratched out a win and that is the important thing. Winning on the road in this competition is hard so that was a good result for us," explained the Australian.

"Bourgoin are a very capable side. Having played them last season we know that they have an incredibly strong forward pack, whilst in Boyet, Forest, Janin and Coux, Bourgoin have some very good backs. It will be a very tough match."

Connolly has made one change to the team that performed so admirably in Ireland, with Gareth Delve coming in at number eight for Isaac Feaunati.

Longterm absentee Michael Lipman is finally fit to make an his first appearance of the season, and the back row is included among the replacements.

However, the recovering trio of Michael Stephenson, Rob Fidler and Alex Crockett are all left out, despite featuring in a development game on Monday.

Bourgoin team news to follow...

 

Bath Rugby team: 15-Lee Best, 14-David Bory, 13-Tom Cheeseman, 12-Olly Barkley, 11-Frikkie Welsh, 10-Chris Malone, 9-Martyn Wood, 1-Matt Stevens, 2-Lee Mears, 3-Duncan Bell, 4-Steve Borthwick, 5-Danny Grewcock, 6-Andy Beattie, 7-James Scaysbrook, 8-Gareth Delve

Replacements: Pieter Dixon, Chris Loader, Zak Feaunati, James Hudson, Michael Lipman, Andy Williams, Salesi Finau