This will be the first match for Bath with a lot of their players missing due to Six Nations duties, but this should be able to show the quality of their depth. Sale is somewhat in the same position, but they still pose a threat regardless. Bath won the first matchup this season 40-13, but both teams were affected by the Autumn Nations matches, so it could be interesting to see what happens here. That being said, a lot of what could be said in the last preview could theoretically be copied and pasted into this one.
Disrupt Robert du Preez
Robert du Preez isn't quite George Ford, but Sale relies on the player in the 10 jersey so much that it drives their attack. Bath will have to be incredibly physical on du Preez because if he gets going, it will be tough to stop the other players featured in the attack such as Arron Reed, Will Addison, Joe Carpenter, Luke James, and Sam Bedlow. Sale has a very good attack, but if their central focus can't get anything going then there isn't much they can do.
The Depth Will Be Tested
No Ben Spencer, Ollie Lawrence, Will Stuart, and Ted Hill (Finn Russell and Josh Bayliss are ironically available). That is tough to lose all those players to their international sides. So now some youngsters will need to step it up in this match. Kepu Tuipulotu, Billy Sela, and Tom Carr-Smith will have to be those guys when Johann van Graan calls upon them. It will come down to who has the better talent since Sale is facing the same problem.
Dominate The Scrum
On paper, Bath clearly has the strongest scrum. That being said, if they dominate it, then it would exhaust Sale as much as possible. Sure, their back row is very good, but the rest of the scrum doesn't compare to Bath's. Matches are usually decided by forward packs and Bath's should have to be at their best if they want to win this one and get a better position in the table.
Get Defensively Set
With the type of attack Sale has, Bath has to be set on defense which is probably why Will Butt is starting at the inside center spot this week. If du Preez is able to do his thing, then trying to stop players like Reed, Addison, and James becomes much more difficult. So getting set if that occurs should limit the damage and that could be huge, but if Bath dominates the scrum then this might be all moot.
Bath's Starting XV
1 Beno Obano
2 Niall Annett
3 Thomas du Toit
4 Quinn Roux
5 Charlie Ewels
6 Josh Bayliss
7 Miles Reid
8 Alfie Barbeary
9 Louis Schreuder
10 Finn Russell
11 Ruaridh McConnochie
12 Will Butt
13 Max Ojomoh
14 Joe Cokanasiga
15 Tom de Glanville
Replacements
16 Kepu Tuipulotu
17 Francois van Wyk
18 Billy Sela
19 Ross Molony
20 Ewan Richards
21 Tom Carr-Smith
22 Orlando Bailey
23 Jaco Coetzee
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