South African star Robbie Fleck tonight rallied Bath for their Zurich Premiership day of destiny, and declared: “We don’t want to fall at the last hurdle.”
Bath, relegation candidates last season, will finish top and secure a place in the May 29 title play-off final at Twickenham if they beat Recreation Ground visitors Gloucester tomorrow.
But Fleck and company are stumbling, rather than sprinting, towards the line, having suffered back-to-back league defeats against Northampton and Harlequins.
Another slip-up this weekend would allow reigning Premiership champions Wasps to overtake them – courtesy of a Causeway Stadium victory over Leicester – and send Bath into a semi-final play-off on Sunday week.
“There is so much at stake, and we know that 80 minutes of consistent, solid rugby will be enough to take us through to the final. That is the ultimate target,” said ex-Springboks centre Fleck.
“In my mind, this is what rugby is all about, and we would love to finish the regular season on top. It would be a remarkable achievement, considering all the change that has taken place since last summer.”