Will Muir’s aiming to hit the target with Bath

By Mark Stevens

Darts-loving winger Will Muir hopes Bath can hit the bullseye in 2025 having gone so close to Premiership glory last season.

Back in June, Johann van Graan’s side were narrowly defeated 25-21 by Northampton Saints in their end-of-season duel at a packed-out Twickenham.

Muir hit the target that day, claiming one of his side’s two tries at HQ, but it wasn’t enough as Bath could not quite find the finish, having played much of the game with 14 men following the dismissal of prop Beno Obano.

All season Bath head coach van Graan has spoken eloquently in terms of how he and his side have learnt from that experience, clearly using the disappointment to set their sights on the target once more.

Helping lead the charge for the Blue, Black & Whites has been Muir, whose five Premiership tries, including a first-ever, top-flight treble in his side’s record 68-10 demolition of Saracens last time out, has put them top of the pile heading into the New Year.

Rich Form

The 29-year-old is certainly in a rich vein of form, but so too are his club who, it has to be said, will take some stopping in their quest to claim a first league title since the 1997/98 season.

Triple top: Bath’s Will Muir scoring one of his hat-trick against Saracens

PICTURE: Getty Images

Plenty have been talking up Bath’s chances in recent weeks, however, Muir remains level-headed when it comes to the future, knowing that although they’ve enjoyed a profitable first half to the campaign, it’s how you finish that defines whether or not you become an eventual champion.

“A few years ago this was a tough place to be – and I sort of experienced that myself – that’s why we don’t really get too ahead of ourselves,” said Muir.

“We’ve been on the receiving end of those results, so we sort of know what it’s like and how tough it is.

“It’s sort of knowing that the better days will come and sticking to what you believe in really. Even a couple of years ago, we finished eighth, but we stuck to what we were doing and it’s starting to come to the front now.”

Bath Flying High

Indeed it is, Bath’s free-flowing style spearheaded by half-backs Ben Spencer and Finn Russell, coupled with a gnarly edge up front, have given the West Country outfit an all-round threat that rivals are clearly struggling to stop.

“I think we’re all into it a lot more, especially around the understanding of how we want to play, where we want to play from, and what we are doing,” added Muir.

“We’re never expecting to get to the final or anything like that, it’s very much an environment where we’re taking it week by week.

“We don’t really look too much into the league table or anything like that, it’s about how we’re going to beat the team that’s coming up on the weekend.”

Bath’s aim for perfection, though, appears clear and Muir hopes he can stay on point with his own finishing skills, which included some festive darts throwing with his brother.

Darts Love

“I was watching the Bristol and Sale game when one of my mates texted me saying that Joe Cullen had brought it back from 3-0 down against Gerwyn Price to make it 3-3,” explained Muir.

“I tuned in for a bit and watched him hit a big finish to keep him in the leg, but then I switched back to the rugby.

“Darts, though, I’m obsessed with it, especially at Christmas. I just can’t keep away from it, it’s just so good.

“I flew back up north on Christmas Eve and I came back down again on Boxing Day, but I think I just threw darts against my brother for the whole two days.

“I don’t think I saw too much of the family, but it was good to get back home and sort of forget about rugby for a day or two.”

Now, Muir is aiming high as he hopes to guide Bath to glory on all fronts.

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