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Statement: Bath vs Toulon rescheduled for Sunday but not at The Rec
By Liam Heagney
Saturday’s postponed European Challenge Cup match between Bath and Toulon has been rescheduled for Sunday but it won’t be played at The Rec. Bath’s home ground has been having issues with flooding and the decision was taken to instead switch the game to Kingsholm, the home of Gloucester.
A statement read: “The EPCR Challenge Cup round three fixture between Bath Rugby and RC Toulon has been rescheduled for Kingsholm on Sunday at 15.15 local time.
“The Pool A contest was due to be played on Saturday at the Recreation Ground. However, following a pitch and stadium safety inspection by the match referee, Chris Busby (Ireland), the Bath Rugby safety officer and officials from both clubs, it was decided to postpone the match.
“Due to heavy and persistent rainfall over recent days in the Bath area, the pitch was deemed unplayable, and with flooding in and around entrances to the Recreation Ground and on the key approach routes, the venue was also deemed unsafe for supporters to attend.
“With further rainfall expected overnight and no guarantee that The Rec would be playable tomorrow, and with Bath’s designated alternative venue, Kingsholm, unavailable today due to the Heineken Champions Cup match between Gloucester Rugby and Leinster Rugby, it has been decided to play the fixture tomorrow.
“Bath Rugby, RC Toulon and their respective Leagues - Premiership Rugby and the LNR - are all in agreement with the rescheduling and relocation at short notice. Ticketing information for the match will be clarified by Bath Rugby as soon as possible. EPCR would like to thank Gloucester Rugby for making Kingsholm available.”
In an earlier statement, Bath explained: “There has been flooding in and around entrances to The Rec and on the key approach routes to the stadium, particularly at the south end of the stadium. There are up to eight inches of standing water in areas of the stadium, meaning it is not safe for supporters to attend."
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Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.
His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.
How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.
Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.
His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.
Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.
Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.
Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.
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