Hooper backs Bath to turn things around

Editor

Bath captain Stuart Hooper has issued a rallying cry to his squad ahead of their visit to Worcester this weekend.

Last year's Premiership finalists head to Sixways in ninth place and only six points clear of relegation.

"The important thing is to stick together and try to keep our heads up because we're not going to achieve anything moping around and feeling sorry for ourselves," Hooper told the Premiership website.

"We've gone back to Farleigh, worked on some things and we'll prepare for the next game as we normally would.

"I've been really impressed by the attitudes this week though because the boys haven't been too down and have faced up to what happened and taken it on the chin.

"That's what we had to do because we got what we deserved. But everyone has had the mindset of what can we do to get better and improve."

Bath's latest setback was an 11-15 defeat at home to old rivals Gloucester last Friday, which Hooper admits stung more than most of the other defeats.

"It hurts to lose at home to Gloucester, maybe more than most losses, but we've got to stick together now and make sure we bounce back this weekend," he added.

"One of the perils of sport is that when you build these derbies up as bigger games, it is going to be tougher to take when you do lose.

"When we're on top in games, we must deliver high skill and execution to get points on the board and stop the opposition from scoring to get themselves back in it.

"When you're on top in this league you have to take advantage and the longer you can keep teams scoreless, the harder and more challenging it becomes for them as the pressure builds."