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By Haydn Giles

Matt Perry will celebrate his 23^rd birthday on 27^th of January 2000 having already earned 25 caps for his country. Born on the day Starsky & Hutch star, David Soul, was No. 1 in the charts with "Don’t Give Up On Us" (how appropriate). Matt has proved to be the most consistent back in an England jersey over the past three years. His reputation for reliability under the high ball and as a courageous hard tackler should add to his claim for a 6-Nations Championship start. Haydn caught up with him at the Rec on the Thursday after losing to Gloucester, with the realisation that a trip to HQ in May was not on the cards for yet another year.

Haydn: What was the mood like after the Cup defeat up at Kingsholm?

Matt: Sheer disappointment. No one played badly and the commitment was there. One swing in the game, as has happened in the past four games, when a try was scored against us means we’ve been left trying to catch up. So it’s left us feeling very disappointed.

Haydn: Do you think the team has a problem reacting when going behind?

Matt: I think in the past when Bath sides went behind they would always get back in front and edge it as with many Cup results and League wins. But it’s a young side and it’s going to take time to learn that; it will definitely come! There are so many talented players here, they just need that little bit of experience to get ahead.

Haydn: What needs to happen for this season to be put back on track?

Matt: We’re a young side who keep learning, but we need confidence wins as well. This weekend is a massive game for us (v Padova) because we have just got to win. Once we start winning two or three games the confidence will grow again. When you get into the winning way it’s a lot easier that when you’re involved in a losing streak and you try to play catch-up all the time which is hard to break.

Haydn: But you are a talented bunch, there must be a reasonable level of confidence in the squad?

Matt: There is a good level of confidence, but one thing you have to look at is (and everyone at the Club knows this) how you played yourself. How can I improve in the future? Right I made a mistake there, (cue the video replay), how do I ensure it doesn’t happen again? We talk about the poor displays and hopefully we’ll come back from them.

Haydn: Why can’t we score tries at the moment?

Matt: It is a confidence thing and, as I said before, it’s not easy playing in conditions when it’s pouring down with rain and there is so much at stake. I am confident that we will be scoring tries again soon through the likes of Balsh (Ian Balshaw), who is an outstanding player. When he gets his hands on the ball and we put him in space, along with players like Ade, in better conditions we’ll start to see tries being scored. In the current conditions, not many tries are occurring in low scoring games. Penalty kicks are winning games.

Haydn: But the backs just aren’t going forward at present.

Matt: It’s about getting the balance and the continuity between the pack and the backs. Teams nowadays put more work into analysis of how to defend than ever before. So they generally know what we are going to do and we have to spring a surprise on them on the day. They know we’ve always liked to play a wide game, they are defending that channel while pushing players out leaving 7 at the back of the lineout to push on to 12, which is making the space around the pack area for drives. It gets a bit technical.

Haydn: How much have the players missed Phil’s leadership qualities on the pitch this season to date?

Matt: We’re missing him a lot at the moment. His organisation and the talking he does on the field is crucial to our success – you can’t beat him as a captain. He’s an outstanding player as well and leads the Club by example and we do miss him out there. Hopefully he’s on the bench this weekend and will be back in the starting line up as soon as possible.

Haydn: What do you say to those who say your England form has not been reproduced at club level?

Matt: People have said that to me. I had a bad patch over Christmas last year. It’s not something I planned. I want to play my best rugby for Bath. A lot of what I was doing last season was in these conditions (he gazes out across the sodden Rec) – fielding high balls, not getting into the game as much as I would have liked. But I’ve learned a lot over the past year and if I feel I’m not involved enough I will go say to myself, "Right lets get into the game more and go looking for the ball." The surface does affect my type of game as I like to play a free flowing counter attacking on a nice hard pitch and it’s not like that at the moment. (Matt chortles)

Haydn: What can you remember of your Bath debut?

Matt: My debut for the First Team was away at Orrell when we won 56. That seems quite a few years ago now and was a good win. It was a lot quicker and more physical than my early games in the 3^rd team for the Spartans; I remember playing in the centre. The Spartans were good for bringing players through and I recall a very good tour we had to Sweden.

Haydn: What has been your best playing moment at the Club?

Matt: I was on the bench for the European Cup Final and just being in the squad for that was brilliant, it was an awesome day. I didn’t get on to play and JC was there to score all the points. Other than that just getting a chance to play for Bath from the time of my debut and going on from there - moulding my career and becoming a consistent player.

Haydn: What arrangements are in place for kicking duties when JC quits playing?

Matt: I have put myself up front and said that I’m going to take them on. I’m working hard with JC at the moment kicking three or four times a week and I’m getting more confident. We’ve talked about grooving my rhythm. (Surely you should be talking to Ade about that! Ed.) Now every time I come to a kick I know exactly where my foot is placed.

Haydn: In the mud!

Matt: Exactly. I am very keen to take the kicking duties. I see Dave Alred when I’m with England, and JC has been helping me a lot with my confidence levels and working on my run up.

Haydn: What are your memories of your first World Cup?

Matt: The best moment was running out in the first game against Italy. Just the fact I had been picked to play in a World Cup on such a massive stage. The crowd was electric on the way there and it was a very different kind of feeling than with any other international. To score a try as well was nice.

Haydn: Is it worse seeing that tackle on you against Tonga than actually experiencing it?

Matt: I only saw it once after it happened and it looks worse than it was. As I came down and landed, the ball’s position helped cushion my fall as it was tucked under my face. It wasn’t as though I landed straight on my head, if I had it would have been worse. It was one of those feelings you have when you get kicked in a not a nice place. (You mean Kingsholm - Ed.).

Haydn: Do you think those instances should or shouldn’t go unpunished?

Matt: What happened afterwards, when Phil Vickery came in and took the guy out and it all kicked off and Richard Hill took one across the head, took away the impact of the tackle on me. But those things just happen in the heat of the game and the Tongans have a reputation for doing that sort of thing. There’s not too much of it seen in the game and it’s not nice to be one the end of it when it occurs.

Haydn: What is it like lining up to tackle Mr Lomu?

Matt: I find it a big challenge. I enjoy it and I relish it. When you see him run at you it lifts you and you think this is my chance to try and nail him. I didn’t really look at his whole body but just looked right ahead at the tackle area and put my head where you don’t want to put it and grabbed him. The size of him makes him bigger than most forwards and he’s quick and has an outside step. When he ran at me he was just trying to pile me. He’s hard to tackle when he steps out because his stride length is so wide you can only get one leg. And when that happens he’ll just shrug you off as he so often does.

Haydn: What are you favourite memories of Jerry in an England jersey?

Matt: His outside line. I’ve watched him for many years and the way he picks up that outside line in space running those long arcs. A lot of people wouldn’t see the sort of work he did off the ball as well. The pace he had and the work he did off the ball to put other players in space is equal to what he did with the ball. Also his professional attitude is one think I look up to.

Haydn: Will you be following his example of Club loyalty?

Matt: Yes I will. Bath is my life and playing for Bath is something I have always wanted to do and I won’t turn my back on the Club.

Haydn: Where did you go school in Bath?

Matt: I went to King Edwards and then down to Millfield, but I have always lived in and around the City.

Haydn: What preparation have you been involved in for the forthcoming 6-Nations Championship?

Matt: We had a meeting with England on 20^th December and we will be training this weekend. The squad has not been picked yet.

We have training for three days this month from the 20^th to 23^rd and then into the 6 Nations meeting that week with the Ireland game on 5^th February I don’t expect to be in automatically because you can get cut down. Hopefully I’ll be involved and will be fit to keep playing for my Club when I return.

Haydn: How do you see the table at the end of the competition and how will Italy do?

Matt: Italy will do well at home. They come off a few bad results in the World Cup and they will want to bounce back. Hopefully England can top the table, as we are certainly hungry after the World Cup. We played well up to the quarter-finals and then just didn’t play. It just became a kicking duel, which they (South Africa) won in the end. We’re not going to step back on our style of play and I think Scotland will also do well. Home advantage is going to be massive with the French being as unpredictable as ever. Ireland will be massive underdogs and yet can do anything having been unlucky in a few instances when results have just gone against them. But it will be exciting and I am looking forward to it.

Haydn: How long is you contract with Bath?

Matt: Two years including this season.

Haydn: Well you’ve already answered the loyalty question so good luck with the re-newel negotiations!

Matt: (Chortles again)

Haydn: Do you think referees need help with the offside law?

Matt: The touch-judges are certainly coming into the game more. There have been a number of games in which I’ve thought referees haven’t been in good positions and sometimes it’s a bit hit or miss whether they’ve seen it or not and that could be our one and only chance to score. Video replays for referees are definitely needed.

Haydn: Can you recall any particular humorous comments from the crowd, home or away?

Matt: Against Gloucester earlier on this week I missed that kick and got the old "Eeyore Eeyore!" donkey noises from The Shed. (No Matt, that’s just them cheering on their team on Ed). I don’t tend to here any comments as I try to blank them out unless it’s blatant, but I certainly heard that from The Shed.

Haydn: How would you react to selection for the British Lions and if you were to tour, and who else would you expect to see in the squad?

Matt: I’d probably faint. I’d be shocked in some ways because I would never have thought I’d be in a position to be selected, so a mixture of shock and elation. Because it’s quite a way off in 2001; it will also depend on whether I’m fit and playing well at the time.

Haydn: You might be burned out by then at 24!

Matt: That’s right, I might be a has-been by then. (Much chortling) If I were to tour I would expect to see Balsh in the squad, good friend and fellow player. I think he has a great chance to get in there and do well as does Mike Tindall if he keeps his form up. He’s growing in confidence and keeps learning so there is no reason why he can’t make it, as he is another raw talent.

Haydn: Who would you least like to room with?

Matt: Victor. Because he’d be on his mobile phone the whole time and wouldn’t stop talking to find out how much money he was making. That would probably p**s me off.

Thanks for that Matt you’re a star. Good luck with the rest of your career at Bath and Happy Birthday for 27^th January.

Not to be left out, further birthday wishes go to the following squad players who all celebrate this month:

JC -1^st

Shaun Berne – 8^th

Richard Bryan – 21^st

NathanThomas – 22^nd

Tokumbo Adeybayo – 24^th

Matt Perry – 27th

Ronnie Regan & Eric Peters – 28^th (You’d have thought they were twins!)

Just imagine if Bath had 8 players with a birthday every month – we’d have a squad of 96!