Head coach Johann van Graan could roll the dice at scrumhalf as Bath prepare for a daunting Investec Champions Cup semi-final at Bordeaux-Begles.
BBC reports that a mounting injury crisis at No 9 has left Bath short on options ahead of Sunday’s clash, and may force Van Graan into a 7-1 bench split.
England international and club captain Ben Spencer is rated “touch and go” due to a shoulder issue.
South African Bernard van der Linde has been ruled out after ankle surgery following Saturday’s Premiership clash against Northampton, leaving Tom Carr-Smith as the only fit senior scrumhalf.
This opens the door for 18-year-old Isaac Mears, who could be thrust into a debut in Bath’s first Champions Cup semi-final in 20 years.
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Mears, the son of former England hooker Lee Mears, only signed his first professional contract earlier this month.
Van Graan, however, is also considering a more radical option, including the possibility of naming no specialist scrumhalf on the bench.
“One bit that the group knows, but the outside world doesn’t, is we go through multiple situational plays in training sessions throughout the year,” he said.
“In a worst-case scenario, you might see somebody play at nine that’s never played at nine.
“But if you go back to the World Cup final back in 2023, one team decided to go without a nine, so there’s many different things that we could do.
“We’ve got faith that Spenny will be fine on the weekend and whether he or any other player is not, we’ll be fluid and adaptable.”
He added: “There’s always two choices you can make with injuries – you can feel sorry for yourself or you can make a plan. And this group is exceptional at making plans.”
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
The post Teen debutant part of Van Graan’s Bath plan appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Head coach Johann van Graan could roll the dice at scrumhalf as Bath prepare for a daunting Investec Champions Cup semi-final at Bordeaux-Begles.
The post Teen debutant part of Van Graan’s Bath plan appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
