Geech: Leinster know-how told

JOE SCHMIDT may have been frustrated by Leinster’s missed opportunities but at least he left Bath with a valuable Heineken Cup victory. His opposite number, Ian McGeechan, was equally vexed and had nothing but a losing bonus point to show for his developing side’s efforts on home soil.

Bath’s second defeat in three games leaves them trailing reigning champions Leinster by five points in Pool Three with Glasgow Warriors in second place on eight points following a home win over Montpellier.

That leaves the English side with a must-win trip to Dublin this Saturday for the return fixture at the Aviva Stadium and, if that’s to be achieved, McGeechan will want to see a lot more generosity from referee Romain Poite than his French compatriot Jerome Garces afforded them at the Recreation Ground on Sunday afternoon.

Monsieur Garces left Bath’s players exasperated with his officiating at the breakdown, where Leinster successfully slowed down the home side’s desire for quick ball without the referee feeling the need to blow for penalties.

It left Bath dominating a first half in terms of possession and going in at half time with a measly 6-3 lead. Asked about the dark art of slowing ball down, the veteran Lions coach, having been encouraged by his team’s performance in keeping the Irish side try-less, did his best to remain diplomatic.

“You talk to any rugby player and they’ll tell you the most difficult thing to cope with is quick ball and I think the challenge for the referees is to keep working on players who are trying to stop that quick ball and really be much tougher on players who are in there just to get it down to a 1-2-3 A-B-C game, which is what five-second ball gives you,” McGeechan said. “If it’s under that it’s a very different game to have to defend — and to watch.”

But were Leinster more “knowing” in trying to slow ball? “Leinster have got huge experience and they’ve got good players in key positions and when you win European Cups that’s what you get. You know how to do it, you’ve been there before and so it grows.

“You know when you’re under pressure, you know what you’ve got to do and then you bide your time and I thought they did that very well.”

There are signs, however, that a newly-assembled Bath side are close to hitting top gear, at least if Matt Banahan’s well constructed try in the second half is anything to go by. The key, said Bath’s backs and defence coach Brad Davis, will be the return to match fitness of new fly-half Stephen Donald, whose arrival at the Rec was delayed by a call-up into the All Blacks’ World Cup-winning side.

“He’s still a little short on match fitness so he’s going to get better and better for our organisation and our team,” Davis said. “We must remember it was only four to six weeks ago he was taken off a fishing trip to play in a World Cup final.

“He’s got no pre-season under his belt so he’s getting match fit by the game.”

Davis added that playing at the Aviva just six days on from Sunday’s intensely physical encounter was something to relish rather than shy away from.

“That was a proper rugby game and for us to turn around at the Aviva in six days’ time in front of 40-50,000 Irishmen and a few Bath fans,

“I can’t think of anything better to get up for in our place.”