Bath's top trio focused on survival and glory

Internationals Grewcock, Catt and Tindall are fighting relegation from the Premiership while preparing for the World Cup

Rugby union devotees sometimes get a little miffed when people use analogies with the "inferior" round-ball version of football. But there are times when such analogies can be enlightening. So here goes. Imagine Manchester United, a few years from now, contemplating relegation from the Premiership. That pretty much sums up the present predicament of Bath, who, until they were dislodged from the mountain-top by Leicester, were the dominant force in the English club game.

Tomorrow, Bath play a derby against Bristol, similarly teetering on the brink. As always it will be a passionate affair, but with a bigger crowd than usual and charged with more emotion, mainly because the storm cloud of relegation menaces both clubs, but also because of an intriguing sub-plot; on Thursday it was officially announced that Bath and Bristol might soon merge. Again, with apologies, the analogy that springs to mind is of Manchester United merging with Manchester City, anathema to both sets of supporters.

As for the threat of relegation, it still seems incredible that Bath could be taking the plunge, with players of the international calibre of their captain, Danny Grewcock, and the centres Mike Catt (who admittedly has been on the sidelines with injuries for most of the season) and Mike Tindall.

So who better to discuss the situation with, than said Grewcock, Catt and Tindall? And where better than deep in the vaults of a pub in their adopted city? Actually, I can think of better places; the mighty second-row forward Grewcock, at 6ft 6in, is in serious danger of braining himself on the low ceiling. And for that matter there probably are better people; none of them seem overly thrilled to be here.

Of the three, Tindall is the most talkative, Grewcock the most taciturn. But I start with the South African-born Catt, the only one who has read a vituperative newspaper column by his former club-mate Jeremy Guscott, which asserts, among other things, that the Bath players have been leaning back this season on a reputation earned by others. Guscott also suggests that whoever appointed the coach, the former Wallaby Michael Foley, should be sacked. And that much of the blame for the club's decline belongs with its principal investor, Andrew Brownsword.

Catt: "That's Jerry's opinion. He hasn't been around the club much in recent years, he doesn't know what goes on there. Some of the stuff he says is obviously true; Bath have gone from success to failure in the professional era. But Jerry is just jumping on the same bandwagon as [another former player] Ben Clarke, who was quoted as saying that Andrew Brownsword is responsible for the downfall of the club.

Tindall: "It's harsh to say that whoever appointed the coach should be sacked. We don't know the full extent of what went on with JC [the former coach Jon Callard] leaving. Yes, Foles is not massively qualified, but he was thrown in a little bit. And if we stay up, and win the Parker Pen [Challenge Cup final, which Bath will contest against Wasps later this month, with a place in Europe next season awaiting the winner], then it will be interesting to see how our season is viewed." Catt: "Our problem has been inconsistency. We beat Saracens here by 20 points, but the following week lost to Northampton playing abysmal rugby.

"That's so frustrating, and it means the younger players coming in don't get the chance to get their confidence up. We don't know if it's the players who've got us into this situation, or the coaching. If we did we would have fixed it."

Whether or not Bath are relegated from the Zurich Premiership, I wonder how much longer these three men will be there, not least because the new salary capping in England has made some top players, such as Dan Luger and Lawrence Dallaglio, reportedly consider more garlicky pastures. Have they thought of swapping the South-West of England for the South-West of France? Tindall: "I haven't." Catt: "I don't think Danny Luger likes the weather here. If Bath go down, I'd have to have a look. But I've been here 11 years. I would hate to leave Bath, and I have no intention of leaving, but we'll wait and see." Grewcock: "I might think about it if I spoke the lingo." Tindall: "I wouldn't want to. I don't really like the French." Chuckles all round.

The trio seem to be warming up, and I become less an interviewer than an eavesdropper on their banter. But just to return to Guscott's article, I ask Grewcock whether he thinks Guscott is justified in referring to him as "a terrific forward" but blighted by indiscipline? Grewcock (clearly peeved): "No, I don't think so. Does he know, or is it just random guessing? It's Jerry's opinion. Thanks. It doesn't affect me.

"There have been a couple of stupid incidents, but I was cleared of the red card I was given. My disciplinary record is not too bad. That's an easy thing to say about me..." Catt: "There are players who get a lot more yellow cards than Grewey does, but just because Grewey goes and punches somebody..." Grewcock: "There are people with far worse opinions of me than Jerry." Tindall (whether with intentional ambiguity I'm not sure): "I wouldn't say that, Danny." Grewcock: "Anyway, I would never think 'Ooh, let's read Jerry's column in whatever newspaper'." Catt: "But some players read every paper every day, so what is written filters through the club. But what Jerry says, what Will Carling says, it doesn't affect the international players." None the less, Carling has been especially hard on Tindall, suggesting that the 24-year-old Yorkshireman should not be part of Clive Woodward's England plans, that he is not quick or artful enough. Woodward plainly disagrees.

All the same, I ask Tindall whether the former captain's assessment hurts him slightly? Tindall (looking slightly hurt): "Not at all. That's only his opinion." Catt (quickly): "I did a few hospitality things with Will during the Six Nations, and every time he spoke he said this is the best England side he's seen, possibly the best England side ever. It's certainly the best set-up England have ever had."

What do the three make of Woodward then, the man responsible for setting up the set-up? Grewcock: "He never sits still. He never waits for things around him to change, he's got to be the first to try things. Which is great for us, because things are always different." Tindall: "One of the best things he's brought in is Pro-Zone. All games at Twickenham are analysed, and a camera follows each player for the whole 80 minutes. You find out how far you've run, how fast, the detail is incredible. And at any point during the game there's an overview of where you are on the pitch, what part you're playing. It's like Big Brother watching you, there's no hiding place, and it makes it competitive with the other boys, because we compare stats."

As for the collective stats, they say that England are currently better than the best of what not only the northern but also the southern hemisphere can throw at them, that the Grand Slammers should go on to become World Cup winners this autumn. I ask how significant, in terms of England prospering in the World Cup, is the summer tour to Australasia? Catt: "It depends what Woodward wants to achieve. Does he want to do a lot of experimenting, to see whether some of the younger chaps, [Josh] Lewsey and stuff, can reproduce their form on the world stage? And the same goes for Australia and New Zealand. Do they send out full-strength sides or blood some younger guys?" Tindall: "And there's the other tour to Japan, Canada, and the USA. There'll be 70 or 80 players touring through the summer, so it's down to how Clive sees it. Does he want to build up confidence from winning away from home, or to make sure that everyone has international experience?" And there's also the vexed question, I venture, of where Woodward should field the brilliant Jason Robinson, which I suppose he might resolve over the summer. Where, I wonder, would Catt play Robinson? At full-back? On the wing? Catt: "Er, er, er..." Tindall: "Wherever he wants to play." Catt: "I would probably start him on the wing, or maybe even on the bench, and bring him on after 50 minutes, because he would absolutely cut sides up.

"If he starts, people can close him down. They've done that very effectively in the past, because they're getting to know what he's like. He is phenomenal. But at 15, I think Balsh [Iain Balshaw] or Lewsey pick the lines better. They make it easier for 12 and 13 to hit those runners. Jase stops and goes, stops and goes." Grewcock (mock incredulous): "So he doesn't pick good lines, you wouldn't pick him, you'd have him on the bench?" Catt: "You're a forward. Shut up. I'm just saying that at 15 he doesn't pick the right lines." Grewcock: "Yeah, Jason Robinson's rubbish." Tindall: "He doesn't pick the right lines from set-piece moves going on to a wide arc." Catt: "Balsh does." Tindall: "Yeah, Balsh and Josh do that, but can you also say that Josh will turn two defenders inside out and go straight through them with the power Jason's got... or do you move Jason to wing where he has free rein to roam wherever he wants, and can hang around the breakdowns, the rucks and mauls, and pop up like he did to score two tries against Scotland? Wherever you put him in the back three he'll be successful. It all depends what game you want to play..." Grewcock: "I'd put him in the centre." Catt: "What about the second row? He's more agile than you, he can catch a ball better than you." Tindall: "And he doesn't punch people."

Reluctantly, I defuse this excellent banter by turning to the subject of Jonny Wilkinson, and asking Tindall in particular what it's like to play outside such a majestic fly-half? Tindall: "I've played with him since he was 17. He was very mechanical back then, but he's changed so much since his debut against Ireland. He can control the game like no other fly-half, he never really panics, he looks after the ball when he goes into contact, he smashes people in tackles, he can give massive passes when he needs to, kick to the corner when he needs to, and if you tell him where you want the ball he'll put it there..."

Does he, then, make the players around him look better than they are? Tindall: "No, that's harsh. But he helps you to hit holes. He still needs 14 guys around him to run the lines, but if you run the lines he'll put you through the holes." At Bath, meanwhile, there are lines where there should be holes, and holes where there should be lines. I conclude by asking Catt, Tindall and Grewcock what represents the height of their ambition: winning the World Cup with England or returning to the glory, glory days with Bath? Tindall: "Both. But at the moment, everything is focused on Bath, on staying up, and on winning the Parker Pen. Beyond that there's nothing." Catt and Grewcock nod their agreement.

It's time to go. But just before we do, is there anything else they'd like to get off their sizeable chests? Grewcock (leaning forward very deliberately towards my tape-recorder): "Yeah, I think Jason Robinson's a very good player. He'd definitely be in my team."

Mike Catt, Danny Grewcock and Mike Tindall the life and times

MIKE CATT

Born: 17 September 1971, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Height: 5ft 10in.

Weight: 13st 8lb.

1992: Moved from South Africa to England and joined Bath at the age of 21.

1994: Made his international debut for England as fly-half against Wales at Twickenham. He has since been capped 56 times for his country.

1999: Broke Jon Callard's club points record of 236 in a season, extending the tally to 294.

DANNY GREWCOCK

Born: 7 November 1972, Coventry, Warwickshire.

Height: 6ft 6in.

Weight: 17st 7lb.

1997: Gained his first England cap in the summer against Argentina and has since collected a further 40 international caps.

1998: Became only the second ever England player to be sent off during an international against the All Blacks.

2001: Moved to Bath Rugby Club from Saracens.

MIKE TINDALL

Born: 18 October 1978, Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

Height: 6ft 2in.

Weight: 14st 7lb.

1998: Promoted to Bath's first team as cover for Jeremy Guscott.

2000: Made his international debut for England against Ireland. He has since retained a regular place as England's first-choice centre.

2002: Signed a new contract which will keep him at Bath until the 2004-5 season.

Keith Coles