Russell demands Bath improvement for Europe title tilt

Bath’s star fly-half Finn Russell has warned his team they need to improve quickly if they are to realise his dream of winning the Champions Cup.

Bath won a treble last season, clinching the Premiership, Prem Rugby Cup and European Challenge Cup, but have not been beyond the last 16 of Europe’s premier club competition in the past decade.

Their domestic title defence has also wobbled in recent weeks, with a 20-point home defeat by Northampton followed by a worrying loss of control in a last-gasp win over Exeter at the Rec.

“I think we have a long way to go,” said Russell

“In this tournament you’re up against the best in the world.”

He added: “Ideally we can get the home play-offs and then go on from there, but if we’re going to go and really compete in this tournament – as a group of players and staff – we have to probably be better than we have been this year already.

“We’re probably not satisfied with how we are playing this year, which is a good place to be in given that we’re in good positions in both competitions [Prem and Champions Cup], but we know there’s a lot more life in us.”

With a game to go in the pool stage, Bath are top of their group and on track for a home last-16 tie. However, they travel to second-placed Edinburgh on Friday night with French side Toulon poised to take advantage of either’s slip-up.

While Bath lack recent pedigree in the competition, Russell has the experience of the latter stages.

The Scotland playmaker was part of the Racing 92 team that lost to Exeter in the 2020 final and were knocked out by fellow French side La Rochelle in the 2022 semi-finals.

“Yeah, I’d say so,” he said when asked if the tournament represented the ‘Holy Grail’ to him.

“I’d love to win Europe.

“After getting so close in that game – thinking back to Exeter – we probably should have won with Racing.

“For me, having got so close before, it would be amazing to do it.”

Russell says Bath are still trying to find their balance after attack coach Lee Blackett left for England at the start of the season.

Martin Gleeson, who led England’s attack between 2021 and 2023, has replaced Blackett and analysis by the Times shows Bath have relied on a forward-based pick-and-go power game since his arrival.

However, Russell says Bath have reverted to a wider style in recent weeks.

“Since the November Tests, we’ve spoken more about playing a little bit more expansively, like we used to do last year and the year before,” he said

“Lee and ‘Gleese’ are different attack coaches and have different views on how we can run an attack shape, so it’s kind of figuring that out, how we can adjust and get the best from the team and what works best for us.

“In the last three games we’ve probably got slightly wider off 10 and we’ve probably had more and more joy with that.”

Edinburgh hooker Ewan Ashman has joked that while Bath and Scotland flanker Josh Bayliss is “a nice guy”, he is determined to get bragging rights over Russell and fellow Scot Cameron Redpath when the teams meet.

“I would imagine there’ll be a couple of late shots and getting held on the ground and a bit of that that goes on,” said Russell.

“It’s always good fun. I’ve already text [Scotland wing] Duhan [van der Merwe] to say ‘just be ready for the balls in the air’!”