Playing away (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Playing away

RUGBY KICK-OFF: RISING star Mike Baxter could be torn between two clubs this season but you won't find him complaining about it.

The Wootton Bassett youngster is set to benefit from a deal struck between his employers at Guinness Premiership Bath and National League One outfit Newbury for the 2005-06 campaign.

The agreement will see the 21-year-old scrum-half sent up the M4 to the Berkshire side when he is not featuring in games for the top-grade Recreation Ground outfit.

It's a situation that suits Baxter just fine, providing him with the senior playing time he needs to make his mark on the game.

"Basically, I'll play for them whenever I'm not playing for Bath,'' he explained.

"It's a division below the Premiership, but with teams like Harlequins in there, it's not going to be any less competitive.

"It's great news for me I still live in Bassett so it's 40 minutes either way.

"I'm just pleased that I will get to play for someone, if it's not Bath then Newbury.

"In the last two years, there have been some long periods when I haven't been playing.

"I played in the Zurich A League, but there are only about 12 games in that.

"You can train as hard as you can, but being able to do it in training is not the same as in a match situation.''

Not that Baxter, a member of the inaugural England Intermediate National Academy Squad for 2004-05, is in any way a forgotten man at Bath.

He surpassed his own expectations last term, registering two first team starts, plus several substitute stints, including bench appearances in the Heineken Cup.

And he has already served notice of his talents this season, scoring a try from the bench against Launceston in a pre-season friendly and appearing in the Middlesex Sevens at Twickenham earlier this month.

"It was my first try for Bath,'' he said of his score in Cornwall.

"Hopefully the first of many.

"Last year was pretty successful on my part.

"At the start of the season, I was looking to get onto the bench, but ended up starting two games.

"I just got to keep working now and hopefully the chances will keep coming.''

As for Bath, Baxter is also predicting great things.

"We've dominated the last couple of season, but slipped up a few times and that's cost us,'' he said.

"I think we'll be a hard team to beat home and away.

"We have a great bunch of lads and have worked hard in pre-season.

"Our coach (John Connolly) has done great things for the team. His era has been a successful one for Bath."

BATH

Ground: Recreation Ground.

Capacity: 10,500.

Head coach: John Connolly.

Captain: Steve Borthwick.

Last season: 4th.

Players in: David Bory (Castres), Pieter Dixon (Western Stormers), Andy Dunne (Harlequins), Michael Stephenson (Newcastle), Peter Short (Narbonne).

Players out: Mike Tindall (Gloucester), Geraint Lewis (Bristol), Steve Booth (Halifax RL), Ramiro Pez (Castres), Brendon Daniel (Pau), Heinrich Kok, Hugh Perrett (both released), Jonathan Humphreys, Robbie Fleck (both retired).