Perry wants trophy after torrid campaign

Matt Perry believes Parker Pen Challenge Cup success would be a fitting tribute to Bath’s fighting qualities this season.

Bath have endured the worst campaign in their history, only preserving Zurich Premiership status on points difference above relegated west country rivals Bristol Shoguns.

Bizarrely though, the 1998 European champions will secure Heineken Cup qualification if they beat Wasps in tomorrow’s Parker Pen final at the Madejski Stadium.

And England international Perry, back in Bath’s squad following hamstring problems, admits recent weeks have provided a rollercoaster ride.

“It has been pretty tense really, with what happened with the last league game against Newcastle,” he said. “The week leading up to it, there were a lot of emotions flying around the club.

“But now we are in a European final and we have avoided relegation. The boys are looking forward to it, and if we make that, then we will have realised our goal for this season of achieving Heineken Cup qualification.

“If we can display the spirit the side have shown for most of the season and come away with a big trophy, which this is, then the boys will have thoroughly deserved it after battling through some very testing times.

“It would mean everything,” Perry added. “When times haven’t been so good, then that’s when you learn a lot about yourself, your team-mates and the people around you.

“There have been so many testing times this year in terms of games and in terms of pressure, and the thought of coming out with something is exciting.”

Full-back Perry and lock Steve Borthwick both return to the Bath squad, but number eight Nathan Thomas misses out with a back problem while prop John Mallett makes his 219th and final first-team appearance before retirement.

Wasps boss Warren Gatland has cast one eye towards next weekend’s Premiership title play-off final against Gloucester at Twickenham by resting scrum-half Rob Howley, wing Kenny Logan and hooker Trevor Leota to the bench.

With Wasps already in Europe next season, victory tomorrow would put fifth-placed Premiership finishers Leeds into the Heineken Cup.

“The pressure is off Bath, having secured their Premiership status, and so there is no expectancy on them,” said Wasps skipper Lawrence Dallaglio.

“We will go into the game as favourites, but we put ourselves under pressure at this club anyway.

“The opportunity to win silverware doesn’t come around too often, and we haven’t won a trophy for a while.”

French club Castres – Heineken Cup semi-finalists last season – and Welsh outfit Caerphilly meet in tomorrow’s Parker Pen Shield final, a lunchtime curtain-raiser to the main Madejski Stadium event.