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Search forMeehan puts faith in Bemand for Tigers test
Wednesday, November 12, 2008, 17:14
The 30-year-old Hereford-born number nine makes his first Premiership start for the club in place of the injured Michael Claassens – the South African has yet to fully recover from a knee injury picked up during a Heineken Cup pool victory over Newport Gwent Dragons last month.
The former Moseley, Harlequins and Leicester man scored a try for the Tigers and earned his side some respectability during their 48-25 league hiding at The Rec back in September 2006.
And head coach Steve Meehan is confident his new-look half-back combination will form an efficient partnership when his Premiership leaders host second-placed Leicester, with Butch James returning to the starting line-up at fly-half.
"Scott had been out of the game (17-month knee injury) for a while and in between he'd moved clubs," said Meehan.
"It takes time to get back in the groove, but he's settled in well, got used to the guys around him, the calls and the way we work."
Bemand has been given plenty of game time recently in the EDF Cup and impressed the head coach with improved performances in the ties against Sale and Cardiff Blues.
"Scott put in good, improved performances against Sale and Cardiff and has worked well in training with Butch, so I don't see any issues there," said Meehan.
"Obviously Scott will be looking to do very well against his former club and I expect the relationship at half-back to blossom."
The Tigers have already won at The Rec this season, a 19-15 result going their way in the EDF Energy Cup on October 4, but Meehan is looking to reverse that come Saturday.
Bath forwards Lee Mears, Matt Stevens and Michael Lipman are on England duty along with Tigers trio Tom Croft, Harry Ellis and Toby Flood.
"You only have to look at how the players have been applying themselves and talking about this fixture to realise how important it is," he said.
"We're expecting Leicester to come down here with a very strong side.
"The likes of Martin Corry, Ben Kay, George Chuter and Julian White will want to prove something, but they're a side that have had three head coaches in three seasons and are taking some time to bed down their new ideas.
"But having said that, they are a side that can cause us problems, so we will have to really on the guard.
"It is going to be one hell of challenge that we have to face."
A return to Premiership action also means a return to Premiership refereeing, much to Meehan's delight.
Australian-born Andrew Small will overseeing the match at The Rec, his 24th Guinness Premiership appearance.
"From my point of view, it's great to get back to the Premiership and have its referees again," said Meehan.
"We're a lot more comfortable about what to expect.
"I said at the start of the Heineken Cup it would have a massive bearing on things as there are a lot of different interpretations around."
Claassens, meanwhile, may be fit for Bath's trip to Northampton a week on Saturday.
"Although the injury is healing quickly, the Leicester game has come a week too soon for Claassens," said Meehan. "But there have been no setbacks in his recovery and he won't be too far away."
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