Preview: Bath can work frustrations off against Tigers

AFTER back-to-back cancellations due to Covid-19, Bath hooker Jack Walker says his side are ready to face down Leicester's internationals and kickstart their campaign.

A frustrating start to the season saw Bath lose their opening two league games before getting off the mark at Worcester, only for them to collapse in a heap to the Scarlets in Europe before having their next two matches against La Rochelle and London Irish called off.

Asked how Bath will cope off the back of an unscheduled three-week break, Walker told The Rugby Paper: “I wouldn't say it adds pressure, it's just given us plenty of extra time to prepare. If anything, it puts us in a good place for a challenging trip to Leicester.

“They're a side full of internationals and have class throughout so it'll be a huge task, but it's one we've been able to plan for really well and we're looking forward to it.”

Last season's Premiership semi-finalists have so far failed to hit their stride and Walker added: “The squad's frustrated with the way we've played at times but prior to the cancellations I felt we were building game on game and we should have beaten the Scarlets.

“Everyone wants to get back to the form we showed during August and September last season after that first lockdown. We created a lot of momentum during that period and winning becomes a habit so we know we've got the capability to do something similar now.

“Once you get on a roll you kind of just keep it going and that's what we're striving for now. “Everyone's been putting in the hard work in training and we're all really fresh after a couple of weekends off, so we face Leicester now hoping everything will click.”

With Champions Cup qualification once again a broken dream after their home loss to Scarlets and an EPCR-imposed 28-0 defeat to La Rochelle after Bath were unable to travel, tyro back rower Miles Reid, below, believes concentrating solely on the Premiership is now a positive.

Reid, 22, said: “In some ways it does take your mind off Europe a bit and, just like last season, it puts a lot more focus on the Premiership. We're using this next two weeks against Leicester and Wasps to try and get maximum points and that's a really big goal for us.”

After recovering from an ACL injury in 2019 to star in last season's run-in, local boy Reid is again aiming to cement his place in a powerful Bath back row.

He added: “I enjoyed that final part of last season with the midweek games and plenty of chances to play.

“Getting to a semi-final and playing in that was a good experience for me as a young player and it was an invaluable time for guys like myself, Tom de Glanville and Cameron Redpath. We all played a lot of good rugby so hopefully that will now stand us in good stead.”

By NEALE HARVEY