Dave Attwood knows only too well about the importance of being on the winning side in Friday's derby between Bath and Gloucester.
Tremendous
Attwood, who has won two England caps, believes that there will be extra spice for Friday night's fixture after Bath thumped the Cherry and Whites 32-5 in the LV= Cup.
"We've already played them twice and it is currently one win apiece," he said. "They beat us in the Premiership and we won last time in the LV Cup.
"The LV was a dead rubber for them, though, so it will be a different team on Friday night, with the likes of Jim Hamilton, Billy Twelvetrees, Ben Morgan and Freddie Burns all back from international duty.
"They have some tremendous talent in their squad so I am expecting a phenomenal side to turn up.
"They will be smarting at that loss in the LV and they will want to come out all guns blazing so we will have to try to keep them out."
While local bragging rights will be the natural motivation for both sides, Bath have their sights set on gatecrashing the play-off places.
Bath are currently seven points adrift of fourth-placed Gloucester, while they will also tackle Harlequins, Leicester and Saracens in the final weeks of the season.
"If you look at the wider implications then they are where we want to be so a win would see us heading in the right direction," added Attwood. "If we can get in to the top six we can then look at pushing on.
"We are looking at our fixtures as a positive. There is no point us beating the sides at the bottom if Leicester and that are doing the same. We want to be taking points off the sides in the top six.
"We know that it is a difficult run of games but that could work in our favour. Provided we win then will put ourselves in a great position and when it comes to the play-offs it is knockout rugby, so anything could happen."
