BATH centre Jonathan Joseph believes every one of his teammates thinks they have underachieved this year and wants to salvage a European spot to send departing players on their way with ‘fond memories.’
Todd Blackadder’s team currently sit in eighth place after a drab 6-3 loss to Sale Sharks in their last game, however, the Blue, Black and Whites are only five points off a Champions Cup place.
The fact they are still so close to the top four is almost miraculous, given Bath have won only two of their last seven Gallagher Premiership fixtures.
The former British and Irish Lion returned in January from a nine-month lay-off due to injury, but even the dynamic centre’s reintroduction has done little to change the Somerset club’s fortunes on the pitch.
Joseph, as confident as ever, stated that each player is desperate to keep fighting until the end and has promised maximum effort for the final two games of the season.
He said: “We’re still looking at the here and now, we’ve still got to fight for a European spot and we still have a lot of pride to play for this shirt.
“We still believe we should be putting in some better performances than we have been doing.
“Each one of us thinks we’ve underachieved this year and the only way we’re going to rectify that is by going above and beyond to work harder at what we need to work at.”
Bath play their final home game of the season on Saturday as they take on another underachieving club in Wasps.
Having been on the end of several one-score defeats this season, Joseph is aware how close elite-level rugby can be and says everyone at the club will be working extra hard, both on and off the pitch, to make sure they are properly prepared for the weekend’s game.
He said: “We just have to front up this weekend and do what we’re capable of doing.
“It’s fine margins deciding each one of these Premiership games at the minute – if you’re slightly off your game then you’re found wanting.
“The key is to make sure we’re as well prepared as we can be – that will come through training and other things we do off the field – so we send off the people who are leaving us at the end of the season with some fond memories of the last few games that they had.”
Share