Next Year's Bath Lineup

Well with Danny, Watson and Butch on the way out and some seriously exciting new arrivals on the way in, how will Bath line up next season? If I were a gambling man this is where I'd put my money:

1. Flatman
2. Mears
3. Wilson
4. Chisholm
5. Attwood
6. Taylor
7. Moody (c)
8. Fearns

9. Claasens
10. Donald (strongly rumoured to be arriving)
11. Banahan
12. Barkley
13. Hipkiss
14. Abendanon
15. Cuthburt

16. Dixon
17. Catt
18. Bell
19. Short (although I believe he's rumoured to be moving to France)
20. Skirving
21. Scott
22. Vesty
23. Biggs

That's not a bad line-up, but it doesn't exactly look Premiership winning. I'd like to see us add another prop, second row and another really good option at fly half. Of the players available I'd like us to try and sign up Kitchener, and look at trying to pry Mullan away from Worcester as well. They'd both suit our style very well and are promising youngsters on the verge of an international breakthrough. Lastly and perhaps controversially, I'd like to see Danny Cipriani come to us. He played his best rugby under Geech who seemed to manage him well. He knows he is in the last chance saloon and is undoubtedly a very talented player who would suit our free running style. Yes there are question marks over his defence but frankly if Bath have fixed Abendanon's defence they can fix anyone's. Sign him short term or on pay as you play, but just get him signed.

Shane Geraghty would have been my first choice, as I think he could develop into an outstanding fly half with decnet game time. Sadly he's gone to France, but there are two other very talented, under selected English halfbacks I'd also like us to take a look at Joe Ford, who is unlikely to get any game time as third choice at Saints but who really looked the part at Leeds last year, but also Billy Twelvetrees, who despite looking better and better can't get a game for love nor money at Tigers. In my opinion we signed the wrong Leicester centre with Hipkiss. Billy has a kicking game, is big and strong and hits hard but is also a pacy, elusive runner with great distribution. Add to that his ability to play 10, 12 or 13 and you've got the successor to Barkley and Vesty right there, with the potential to be better than either.