Bath
A RETURN TO FRIENDL(IES) AT BEDFORD
By Bath Supporter Jack
September 7 2026
A return to playing a couple of preseason matches building to the start of the Gallagher Premiership with the away match at Harlequins. I recall playing Bedford in the PREM Cup a couple of years ago when the Championship Clubs were admitted and we played Bedford and Ampthill. Their league has been rebranded “Champ Rugby”, presumably by the same marketing company that imaginatively rebranded the The Premiership Cup as the PREM Cup!
Two years ago, when we won the PREM Cup, we beat Bedford at Goldington Road 7 – 21 and then again at the Rec 43 – 26. So, in these two matches our young squad managed the double. Then in March of this year as part of a warm-up for the business end of the 2025 - 26 season we played a “friendly” and won 94 – 14! Not much of a friendly, and in contrast to the previous season Bath went full on, to put some game time into the senior players legs at the end of the Six Nations.
Bedford is an illustrious club with a long history. They have been in the top league on three occasions the last time being in the 1999 – 2000 season. They won the RFU Knockout Cup in 1975. But have now been a fixture in the second league for some time as I believe they have said they do not wish to be considered for promotion as they are stable, both on and off the pitch. They believe that joining the Premiership might well disrupt that!
A bit of interesting miscellany which piqued my interest, in 1905 Bedford played the All Blacks losing 41 – 0!
To the current day I believe the match against Sale on Sunday which Bath lost 50 – 28 whilst only losing 17 – 14 at half time having led for much of the first half, will prove to be very educational for a very young side. Any of these players could play in the Bath first team if they were playing with the bulk of the first team squad.
The match against Bedford will I believe have a combination of players returning from injury, Will Stuart and Will Muir, players who have joined the Club in the Summer, Dan du Preez and Jamie Bhatti and a blend of regular first team players and players who played against Sale on Sunday.
I am sure that the coaching team will be wanting to build to a team playing against Glasgow a week later which will look a lot like the squad selected to play away against Harlequins in the opening match of the Premiership.
So, my go at a squad to play Bedford on Friday night is as follows
1 Beno Obano
2 Tom Dunn
3 Will Stuart
4 Ewan Richards
5 Charlie Ewels
6 Jaco Coetzee
7 Miles Reid
8 Dan du Preez
9 Tom Carr Smith
10 Ciaren Donoghue
11 Henry Arundel
12 Cameron Redpath
13 Ollie Lawrence
14 Will Muir
15 Tom de Glanville
16 Dan Frost
17 Jamie Bhatti
18 Scott Kirk
19 Ted Hill
20 Will Jeanes
21 Bernard van der Linde
22 James Linegar
23 Charlie Griffin
There is no point loading the squad to win as in last March 94 – 14. What is needed is to give as many players as possible proper match time and ensuring that all that they have been working on in training in the past 6 weeks is put to the test. If it all works, the score “should be” 50 to 60 – 0, with the Nil being just as important as the 50 – 60!
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07/09/2026 17:08
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:09:11:12:45:20 by P G Tips.
Are you sure we will go that strong?
I suspect we will keep quite a lot of powder dry until the Glasgow friendly.
It will be fun though to see how close your selection is.
PG
Aren't Jamie Bhatti and Scott Kirk both looseheads?
[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]
Quote:BathMatt53
Agree PG, although they may have one strong half (and 15 subs) just to get 40 mins of match time in the legs.
Aren't Jamie Bhatti and Scott Kirk both looseheads?
Yep, they need a 'Griffin' in there somewhere.
I imagine the bench will all be brought on at half time so everybody gets at least 40 minutes.
I would imagine that the order of priorities are that everyone gets 40 minutes.
Defence works so they do not score.
Attacking units work and training field plans are implemented....and work
Quote:shipwreckedQuote:BathMatt53
Agree PG, although they may have one strong half (and 15 subs) just to get 40 mins of match time in the legs.
Aren't Jamie Bhatti and Scott Kirk both looseheads?
Yep, they need a 'Griffin' in there somewhere.
I don't think Griffin or Obano are fit yet based on the last medical update
Quote:theredseatQuote:shipwreckedQuote:BathMatt53
Agree PG, although they may have one strong half (and 15 subs) just to get 40 mins of match time in the legs.
Aren't Jamie Bhatti and Scott Kirk both looseheads?
Yep, they need a 'Griffin' in there somewhere.
I don't think Griffin or Obano are fit yet based on the last medical update
Which one Alfie or Archie?
Quote:shipwreckedQuote:theredseatQuote:shipwreckedQuote:BathMatt53
Agree PG, although they may have one strong half (and 15 subs) just to get 40 mins of match time in the legs.
Aren't Jamie Bhatti and Scott Kirk both looseheads?
Yep, they need a 'Griffin' in there somewhere.
I don't think Griffin or Obano are fit yet based on the last medical update
Which one Alfie or Archie?
Archie
Quote:theredseatQuote:shipwreckedQuote:theredseatQuote:shipwreckedQuote:BathMatt53
Agree PG, although they may have one strong half (and 15 subs) just to get 40 mins of match time in the legs.
Aren't Jamie Bhatti and Scott Kirk both looseheads?
Yep, they need a 'Griffin' in there somewhere.
I don't think Griffin or Obano are fit yet based on the last medical update
Which one Alfie or Archie?
Archie
Probably right and Alfie had a run out in Manchester, I'm not sure we will go that strong against Bedford, they are a decent Champ side and have their moments but how does it help pros if they dominate their opposite numbers in games like this.
Closer to parity and everyone knows what to work on. PG is probably on the money with Billy Sela.
We will pick our strongest team against Harlequins, and we will pick a very strong side against Glasgow......so the squad against Bedford should not be the PREM Cup side but a notch above that.
It would be logical to play Will Stuart, Bernard van de Linde and Will Muir.....next we should also play Jamie Bhatti and Dan Du Preez as the new boys.....
Quote:Bath Supporter Jack
Fixture in less than 12 hours and no "Team Up"??
Yes, strange. Bedford have theirs up.
[bedfordrugby.co.uk]
[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]
PG
Replacements (alphabetical): Jack Bennett, Ieuan Davies, Tom Dunn, Ioan Emanuel, Austin Emens, Jack Harrison, Louie Hennessey, Will Jeanes, Scott Kirk, James Linegar, Max Pearce, Ewan Richards, Will Roue, Jasper Spandler, Will Stuart, George Timmins, Kepu Tuipulotu, Bernard van der Linde, Kieran Verden, Jack Woods
Players not yet played in pre-season or PREM Cup: Josh Bayliss, Jamie Bhatti, Jaco Coeteze, Tom DeGlanville, Charlie Ewels, Ted Hill, Billy Sela, Ben Obano. Along with Finn, Ben Spencer, Santi
Quote:Bath Supporter Jack
Claudius Wheeler?
Recently joined the academy having been part of the BUCS double winning set up at Uni.
Last update was that he was good to go.
Fingers crossed he gets a run out next week but giving him 20.mins this week seemed the obvious option if he is ok
Forwards only Reid and Du Preez.....3 or 4 on the bench
Quote:Bath Supporter Jack
Claudius Wheeler?
On the team sheet it looks like I Claudius
Quote:shipwreckedQuote:Bath Supporter Jack
Claudius Wheeler?
Recently joined the academy having been part of the BUCS double winning set up at Uni.
Ex Quins u18
[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]
Replacements (alphabetical): Jack Bennett, Ieuan Davies, Tom Dunn, Ioan Emanuel, Austin Emens, Jack Harrison, Louie Hennessey, Will Jeanes, Scott Kirk, James Linegar, Max Pearce, Ewan Richards, Will Roue, Jasper Spandler, Will Stuart, George Timmins, Kepu Tuipulotu, Bernard van der Linde, Kieran Verden, Jack Woods
Quote:gaz59Quote:Bath Supporter Jack
Claudius Wheeler?
On the team sheet it looks like I Claudius
That's what we thought! Are you allowed to number with Roman numerals? Then he really would be
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:09:11:19:55:15 by dcsh.
Quote:Agreed on both points. Several dropped passes between our centres and pretty sure the centre is where the Bedford breaks come from for 2 tries.Shadders
Joe’s good form in the air continues, two box kicks well claimed. Oli and Cam not looking on the same wavelength.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:09:11:20:16:46 by dcsh.
Now a huge number of subs coming on for Bath.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:09:11:20:48:03 by dcsh.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:09:11:21:00:47 by dcsh.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:09:11:21:07:50 by dcsh.
Quote:Nothing noticeable, I think Roux was down at one point, but got up and played on. Likewise for Hennessy.OutsideBath
Any injuries to be concerned about?
Quote:Francis Allen
That was a really shaky start
Hmm, lets not be going back to that - the Prem teams won't allow us to come back from a 3 try headstart as has happened a few times in the past few seasons...we don't have the bomb squad any more. Hopefully a valuable wake up call before the important stuff starts.
[24/25 adoptee: Francois van Wyk]
Some nice well worked scores from Bath, which is promising.
Special mention for the Bath shirt, absolutely awful and worse than it looks on the web site.
Large part of that is Donoghue’s talent to hold the ball and then pick the right option… fortunately his club mentor does that pretty well too!
JCok and Arundell look fit and powerful… bad idea offering Arundell the outside!
Quote:dr.bath1865
JCok and Arundell look fit and powerful… bad idea offering Arundell the outside!
He must be a nightmare to defend against, 2nd and 3rd tries he just created his own outside with sheer pace.
Seeing our home shirt in action for the first time and its awful. It looks like there are 3 teams on the park, Bath going forward, Bath defending and the opposition.
Quote:Yup as soon as the players bend over or turns the shirt just looks black, with blue black and white stripes only visible then they are upright and facing you/the camera. I guess will get used to it, but a bit disappointing really.brands
Seeing our home shirt in action for the first time and its awful. It looks like there are 3 teams on the park, Bath going forward, Bath defending and the opposition.
................... by a mile.
Whoever signed off on it should be banned from ever having any involvement in kit design in the future.
The other concern is our centres, both given a 5. Lawrence doesn’t seen to have regained any form. That’s concerning.
We need to get a lot better to have a chance against Quins.
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