STUART Hooper says he can feel Bath Rugby edging ever closer to success after putting pen to paper on a new deal this week.

Club captain Hooper will extend his stay at the club into an eighth season, having first arrived at The Rec from Leeds Carnegie in the summer of 2008.

Bath have yet to taste silverware while Hooper has been in the ranks, although they came agonisingly close in last season’s Amlin Cup final, losing 30-16 to eventual Aviva Premiership champions Northampton Saints.

Mike Ford’s men were 12-6 winners over Sale Sharks last Friday to keep them well and truly in the race for Premiership play-off places this term, while they also have a European Champions Cup quarter-final away at Leinster to look forward to at the start of April.

Hooper says the desire to keep Bath on the road to glory prompted his decision to sign up again for the 2015-16 campaign.

“I’m massively pleased to be staying here next season,” said lock Hooper.

“There were a couple of things that were up in the air, whether I felt I was able to compete physically, and whether the coaches wanted to keep me.

“Once those two questions were answered, and answered positively, it was sorted out pretty swiftly.

“The goal is to keep improving. The reason I came here in 2008 was to try to win trophies and that’s what we’re working desperately hard to do.

“But it’s not easy. It would have been fantastic to win a trophy every year but there are 11 other teams in the Premiership all trying to do the same thing.

“What I am pleased about is the direction the club has now, which started when (chairman and owner) Bruce (Craig) came in and has carried on with the current coaching staff.

“Everyone is looking forwards and pulling in the same direction and it’s exciting to see where we can go.”

Hooper is one of the most experienced players throughout the Premiership, with 218 appearances in English rugby’s top flight to his name.

That also means he is entering the twilight of his career and, with the start of next season delayed because of the World Cup, Hooper will turn 34 just a month into the new campaign.

It is still too early to say when Hooper may hang up his boots and he is simply happy to take it year by year if it means staying in blue, black and white for as long as possible.

“For now I am just focussing on next season, I can’t really look much further ahead than that,” said Hooper.

“I’ve been here a long time now and this club is part of my life.

“I love being here, I love working hard to try to push us forwards and I love being part of this group.

“I’ve loved captaining this club for as long as I have done, it’s been a real privilege to lead these boys.”