Mastermind of Bath's last title recalls a swashbuckling side

Brian Ashton was a full-time teacher but guided a team featuring Jeremy Guscott and Mike Catt to double glory

- Gerard Meagher

It doesn't take long to realise that one of England's greatest attacking minds is still as sharp as ever. Asked what is keeping him busy at the moment, Brian Ashton, now 78, shoots back: "Staying alive."

There are many ways to emphasise how long it has been since Bath won the title but a two-word riposte from the man who led them to the league and cup double in 1995-96 does it better than most.

It is well documented that the dawn of professionalism was not kind to Bath, how it both enabled their rivals to catch up and derailed the country's dominant side in the following years. As the former full-back Jon Callard has put it: "Bath got lost in professionalism, sometimes players forgot the value of the shirt."

In the final throes of the amateur era, however, Bath were the trailblazers.

Their 1995-96 campaign is a remarkable thing written down - record points (575) and tries scored (68) in 18 matches - but listen to Ashton reflect on a season when they finished a point ahead of Leicester in the table, before edging past them at Twickenham a week later, and the legend comes to life.

Perhaps the best place to start is at the end, the final day of the league season when Bath hosted Sale knowing that with victory they would get their hands back on the title they had won in four of the preceding five years. Romping to a 32-12 half-time lead, Bath had one hand and four fingers on the trophy. Forty minutes later Sale were level at 38-38 thanks to a last-gasp try from Chris Yates, converted by Rob Liley.

As a result, a Leicester win against Harlequins would ensure the Tigers retained the title but behind 19-21 and with a late penalty for victory, John Liley, Rob's brother, was off target. Bath had squeaked home.