Bath Rugby team confident of Premiership success for the first time in 28 years

ITV News West Country's sports reporter Ross Arnott reports on the 'confident mood' at Bath Rugby ahead of their trip to Twickenham.

Thousands of Bath Rugby fans will be making the trip to the capital this weekend hoping their side can do something it hasn't done in 28 years.

1996 was the last time the blue, black and white won the Premiership title and for the first time since 2015 they are back in the showpiece competing for the sports top domestic prize.

It comes after a fantastic league campaign that saw them finish second.

Last weekend Sale were beaten at the Rec in the semi-finals of the play-off and now supporters will be hoping their side can go one better and beat Northampton at the home of rugby.

The players and staff are confident heading in to the final but called on fans to get behind them like they did against their previous opponents.

"It was an unbelievable atmosphere and it was definitely one of my favourite experiences at the Rec," captain Ben Spencer said.

"It has been an unbelievable year and hopefully we can top that off by winning on Saturday.

"It would mean a lot to a lot of people involved in this club, we don't want to try and play the game too early but we need to be ready for Northampton on Saturday."

For the Bath Rugby Head Coach Johann van Graan the memories from that Sale match something he will cherish for a long time.

"That last five minutes of the game against Sale was in my top five moments of rugby," he said.

"The atmosphere and the feeling inside that stadium is something I will never forget it was incredible.

"You could see the joy on people's faces and you have to try and enjoy those moments in this sport.

"We are ready for Saturday, it will be a good match but we need to make sure we perform to the level that we know we can."

The club's star player this campaign has been Scotland international Finn Russell.

The 31-year-old joined the club for this season from Racing 92 in France and has made a significant contribution to their success this year.

"That as the best club environment and atmosphere I have ever played in," he said.

"It was such a special day all around and celebrating with fans and family and friends it was amazing.

"Winning on Saturday would be one of the best, it will be a tough game but it will be a good one.

"You can say it is another game but it isn't it is a final and so we have to be ready for that."