Borthwick on his Final Bath
Fri, 23 May 2008 18:40
As Bath and England captain Steve Borthwick prepares for the European Challenge Cup Final against Worcester on Sunday, he has also spent quite a bit of time reflecting on the fact that this game will be the last he ever plays for Bath Rugby.
Having spent 10 years with the club, the 28-year-old lock acknowledges not only how important this game is to the supporters, but also to the team and Borthwick personally.
"We know just how tough it is going to be," Borthwick said.
"I will give everything of myself – and I am sure everybody in a Bath shirt that day will give everything of themselves – to get the result we want.
"We have clearly shown this season how we want to play rugby, but we have also got to remember that there are spells in games, and games like Gloucester down here in the mud, where we have the ability to play a different style.
"Very rarely does a game go totally the way you want it to, so we have got to have the strength this weekend to change our style or alter things tactically.
"I'm clearly determined and will give everything I have to get the result we want, which is clearly a win."
Before departing for the New Zealand tour as England captain, Borthwick will spend some time packing up and readying himself to move.
This realisation has made him more focused and determined to bring back that coveted silverware.
"There was a moment after the Wasps game and I couldn't tell you exactly when it was – maybe it was on the bus or possibly the following morning – where there was a realisation that this is my final week as a Bath player.
"I want it to be my best week ever and that really focuses you on what's in front. I want to grasp every opportunity and every minute of it."
So, with his sights set firmly on bringing back a trophy, what does he anticipate ahead of the match?
"I think it's going to be a really formidable challenge, because Worcester are playing some very good rugby – and if you just gauged it on the last few months, their results would put them considerably higher than where they finished in the Guinness Premiership.
"They have developed a style of play that is particularly threatening, so we know it's going to be a hard contest."
As his decade at Bath nears it's ends, there is still time for reflection.
"I have loved my 10 years here. It's had its ups, it's had its downs, but I have loved it and it's been a huge part of my life and always will be – no one can take this 10 years away from me. It's been fantastic."
