6:00pm Friday 27th January 2012
By Owen Houlihan
GUY Mercer expects a wounded Northampton to subject Bath’s unbeaten record in the LV= Cup to a thorough examination at the Rec tomorrow (2.30pm).
While Mercer helped his team end their Heineken Cup campaign with a 23-18 success over Glasgow Warriors last Saturday, just hours later the Saints – last season’s beaten finalists – shipped 50 points to Irish visitors Munster.
Both sides, who are unbeaten in this year’s Anglo-Welsh competition, will be shorn of international squad members for tomorrow’s clash but flanker Mercer expects a Saints squad to arrive with a point to prove after their European humiliation.
“No one likes having 50 points put on them, so they will be hurting off the back of that,’’ said the 22-year-old.
“They are in the same position as us in that they have lost a few players (to England) but the LV= Cup gives the chance for some other guys to have a run.
“We’ve had two good results in it so far and another would leave us in a good position.
“We’d really like to get a win in this competition and get a trophy on the table.’’
Mercer detects a change in outlook among the Bath squad since the turn of the year, before which they won just once in eight games.
Since then, they have won twice and pushed English champions Saracens and French side Montpellier close and Mercer said: “We’re a much happier place and pretty upbeat.
“Our rugby has improved and we’ve stripped things back a little bit and trusted our processes a bit more.’’
Bath will hold an open training session at the Rec on February 17 before to the Premiership home game against Gloucester.
Entry is free from 10.15am, with players available for autographs afterwards.
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