BATH 1998

Can Finn Russell and Co follow in the footsteps of the Euro-conquering side of 27 years ago?

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THE CURRENT Bath side is pretty handy.With Finn Russell and Ben Spencer at the reins, they ended a near 30-year curse to win the English PREM last season, part of a sparkling three-trophy haul alongside the European Challenge Cup and PREM Cup.

And what with pinching Argentine genius Santi Carreras from Gloucester and bringing Henry Arundell home from Paris, you suspect the vacuum cleaner-backed boys in blue and black want to hoover up the final piece of silverware that eludes their grasp - the Champions Cup. As one of European's rugby powerhouses, Bath's record in the game’s greatest club competition is quite poor. Since the tournament's inception in 1995, they have lifted the trophy once, in 1998. Since then a barren spell of group stage and knockout-round dumpings paint a picture of underachievement as other clubs such as Toulouse, Leicester, Leinster and Saracens have racked up multiple titles.

If Bath are to reverse the European hoodoo and lift the Champions Cup next May, it will be under similar circumstances to the team of 1998.