Bath Rugby supporter Glyn Edwards gives his take on events at The Rec...
After last week's LV= Cup semi-final disappointment, club news at the beginning of this week has as least taken a turn for the better.
Harlequins' capture of the Anglo-Welsh trophy should at least guarantee that a sixth-place finish in the Premiership this season will be rewarded with Heineken Cup rugby in 2013-14, unless they themselves suffer an improbably dramatic loss of league form.
Had Sale beaten them in the final before going on to secure league survival then only the top five clubs would have been sure of a place, with an English club needing to win either the Heineken or Amlin cups to provide an additional Premiership participant.
Bath are still in with a shout in the latter competition, of course, but their route to silverware resembles a Heineken Cup minefield, with Stade Francais, Perpignan or Toulouse, and possibly Leinster on their own turf at Dublin lying in wait.
A sixth-place finish will still be a tough challenge for Bath, though, with the last three league fixtures bringing Leicester to The Rec in between visits to Quins and Saracens – no easy points there then.
Although Bath's next two games look decidedly more winnable on paper, both Sale and London Welsh are scrapping alongside London Irish to avoid relegation.
They will lack for nothing in motivation, with only seven points covering the bottom three and with five games remaining. London Welsh's forthcoming appeal against the five-point RFU penalty for fielding an ineligible player only muddies those already murky waters.
Tuesday's announcements that both Dave Attwood and The news that both Dave Attwood and Davey Wilson have extended their contracts to remain at Bath will be welcomed by supporters, as both have been a key part in an improved pack this term, and the capture of Jonathan Joseph shows real ambition.
Alongside the contributions of Paul James and, latterly, Rob Webber, Attwood and Wilson have regularly demonstrated their international credentials. Likewise, the retention of the services of Peter Stringer until the end of this season at least will also be a cause for celebration by his big new fan club at The Rec.
James, meanwhile, must be congratulated for his part in helping Wales to retain the RBS 6 Nations title, although as an Englishman in Cardiff it was hard to take such an unambitious Red Rose performance when so much was at stake.
Well done Wales, nevertheless – with many of those involved likely to be wearing another red shirt Down Under this summer.
