It's game time!!!

It's finally here!! After all the waiting laced with hope and expectations the Aviva Premiership 2012/13 season is ready for our viewing.

All pieces of the Bath Rugby jigsaw are now slotted in to place and the picture looks good.
-The coaching team have taken hold of the squad, tweaked and trained them within an inch of their lives.
-Stuart Hooper is ready to don the captainship for a second term. With a season peppered with injuries and time on the sidelines he's out to prove this season Bath will be back as a contending force.
-The boys in Blue, Black and White took three from three in the pre-season fixtures. Some good looking rugby was played, although it was hard to gauge how the full power of the team will displayed with so many changes of personnel during the matches.
-Now the Bath faithful have a new spanking shirt to parade around the stands. What we received was traditionally known as a 'marmite' shirt. The purist and traditionalist believe is pulling too far from the old school hoops, losing a sense of history. For some the rugby league appearing shirt is new and stepping forward as opposed to looking back. Either way puff your chest and parade your plumage like a proud peacock!

Sadly during the opening pre-season Bath were hit with the injury of Tom Heathcote which will be a big loss, as he was a huge part of last season and a potential top drawer player of the future. Let's hope to see him role out on the pitch as soon as possible.

Step forward Worcester warriors for game one. A trip to Sixways last year was not a successful outing lets hope for a domineering start and get the season rolling. Gary Gold is lining up a strong side filled with power, pace, skill and natural talent.

15. Nick Abendanon

14. Tom Biggs

13. Dan Hipkiss

12. Matt Banahan

11. Kyle Eastmond

10. Olly Barkley

9. Michael Claassens

1. Paul James

2. Lee Mears

3. David Wilson

4. Stuart Hooper ( c )

5. Dominic Day

6. Carl Fearns

7. Francois Louw

8. Ben Skirving

Replacements

16. Ross Batty

17. Nathan Catt

18. Kane Palma-Newport

19. Dave Attwood

20. Will Skuse

21. Mark McMillan

22. Ollie Devoto

23. Jack Cuthbert

The anticipating times are nearly over and it's in the players hands to bring us the jubilation!! Good luck to all Bath Rugby boys and let's make it an awesome year!