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The 1000th Premiership game will rather fittingly be played between two of the most traditional clubs in the country, and ever presents in the top flight since its inauguration, Harlequins and Bath.
For these two giants of the game, the 2004/05 season has not got off to the best of starts. Bath were beaten comprehensively in their first two, and last week just scraped by against newly promoted Worcester.
Quins find themselves on the bottom of the table after losing all three opening fixtures. They have not been winless after four games of a season since 1987. These are worrying times for both clubs in what is becoming an ever more competitive league.
This ought to be a game where two of England’s World Cup winners go directly head to head, with the centres, Mike Tindall and Will Greenwood lining up on opposing sides. However, fans have been denied this contest as Tindall picked up a knock against Worcester although Greenwood does return to the Quins team after missing out last week.
Interesting points of reference can be found through their respective fixtures with Newcastle and Northampton. Against the Falcons, Bath were well beaten 33-18 at home, but Quins came agonisingly close to turning them over at Kingston Park last week, losing by 21-22. Advantage to Quins then?
The games with Northampton tell the opposite tale however. In week one Bath travelled to Frankins Gardens to lose by 14-29, but the very next week Saints utterly dismantled Quins at the Stoop by 45-13.
In matches as tight as this it often pays to go with the home side. Harlequins are a team which has built their reputation on strong displays at home over the years. The crushing defeat to Northampton will have really hurt Mark Evans therefore and we expect a thoroughly more committed display this time around.
They have beaten Bath the last four times that have played them at the Stoop, including a 25-22 success last term when the West Country side topped the table. Quins have not found points easy to come by so far but Bath have been conceding tries frequently. Against both Northampton and Newcastle they allowed the opponents to cross four times, and Worcester’s back line scored their first try of the season against them last week.
Connolly has moved Olly Barkley to inside centre and Chris Malone returns at fly half. Rob Fidler steps into the boots of Steve Borthwick who is suspended and Nick Walshe makes his debut for the club in place of Martyn Wood at scrum half.
We advise backing Harlequins to win the match at 10/11 with Victor Chandler.
Johnny O'Shea, readaBet.com
Article created on 9-/-0/2004 25: 1Send this article ( ZURICH PREM: QUINS V BATH BETTING ODDS PREVIEW ) to a friend
