Bayliss making big strides in Sam’s absence
UNRIVALLED as a genuine openside with England, Sam Underhill may have a fight on his hands for the No.7 jersey at Bath when he recovers from his latest injury setback.
Underhill is likely to miss the rest of the season after suffering a serious toe injury, allowing academy graduate Josh Bayliss a further opportunity to press forward his claims in the position for the Blue, Black and Whites.
Bayliss starts the AngloWelsh Cup final against Exeter today and if there is a silver lining to be had from a wretched season for injuries in the Bath back row, then it is the form of the 20-year-old academy graduate and that of his former England U20 teammate Zach Mercer.
“I will always be able to play at six, but seven is definitely where my game is going,” said Bayliss, who today lines up against Julian Salvi at Kingsholm.
“I think seven suits me, especially the way we play at this club. There’s a lot of kick-chase and stuff like that, which I really enjoy.
“Having guys like Fran- cois Louw and Sam Underhill, it’s unbelievable to learn from them. I’m really enjoying playing at seven.”
One of the fittest and fastest forwards at the club, 20-year-old Bayliss loves to get around the park and catch the eye in open play but also prides himself on doing the donkey work.
And if he wants inspiration Bayliss says he need look no further than England’s Six Nations squad member Mercer.
“There’s a massive focus here on the unseen work that has a massive impact on the outcome of a game and on a season,” he pointed out.
“Zach does the ‘Zero Talent Actions’, as we call them, really, really well. There is a lot more to his game than just the offloads and the things that he gets praised for on TV, which makes him the unbelievable player that he is. It is great to play with someone like that in the back row.”
Born in Devon but raised in Indonesia during his formative years because of his father’s work there as palm oil executive, Bayliss was schooled at Wellington on the family’s return to the UK and then received a scholarship to attend Millfield.
He is one of four alumni from the famous Somerset independent school in the Bath squad, along with Henry Thomas, Jonathan Joseph and another of the club’s back rowers, Tom Ellis.
Bayliss’ first big break came in last season’s Anglo-Welsh Cup and his performances in the competition helped to earn him a new three-year deal.
As the launchpad for his first-team career, the crossborder competition is one that Bayliss would like to see survive any season restructuring.
“It’s been a bit of a dream really, I do sometimes wonder, ‘what am I am doing here among these guys’. I didn’t expect to be playing this much at the beginning of the season, but I’ve loved the experience. It is a massive step up from anything that I have played before.
“The Anglo-Welsh has been huge for a lot of the younger guys at the club,” he added, “it’s given us a chance to play with some of the best players we’ve got here.”