Adam Williams presents his prediction for the Premiership Rugby Cup match.
Last season in the Premiership Cup, Ampthill lost all their group matches, while Bath failed to progress to the playoffs, losing the top spot to Exeter Chiefs. Can the teams improve their performances this time around? The Championship club will kick off at home, but they're in for a tough challenge.
Ampthill
Last year, Ampthill even lost in the Premiership Cup to Caldy, who ended the league season second from bottom, below them. Currently, the Bedfordshire side sit eighth in the Championship. Over five rounds, they were defeated by main rivals Nottingham and Doncaster Knights and suffered a crushing defeat to reigning champions Ealing Trailfinders (92:0). Their only victories came against the newcomer Chinnor and bottom side Caldy, from whom they managed to exact some revenge. Bath appear to be an insurmountable obstacle.
Bath
Bath, even in the Premiership, are nearly unbeatable: they have lost just one out of six matches and sit atop the table, ahead of Leicester Tigers on point difference. Their only blemish came against this season's surprise package, Bristol Bears, (26:36), but they've comfortably dispatched heavyweight clubs like last season’s champions Northampton Saints (38:16). Bath do find away games a bit tougher, yet they still secure big wins against less formidable opponents, such as Gloucester (55:31). So, what would happen to the struggling Ampthill in such a case?
Ampthill vs Bath Prediction
We can't be certain, as they have never faced each other. Bath will undoubtedly field a different, younger lineup, but the superiority of the Somerset club’s academy is so substantial that Ampthill’s chances of avoiding a significant loss are minimal.
