Saracens result will be a proper gauge on where Bath are as a club, says Dan Bowden

Whatever the result: win, lose or draw, against Saracens "from the outside" will give the impression that it will gauge where Bath are as a club, according to Dan Bowden.

Bowden, who joined Bath in January on a two-and-a-half-year contract believes games against the top four calibre sides are important considering they do not come around too often.

When asked about whether the result against reigning champions Saracens- whatever that may be - would be a good indicator of where Bath are as a club, considering they are currently in a rebuilding process are finishing a lowly 9th last year, said:

"From the outside you'd probably say yes because we haven't played too many of the top four sides.

"But the one time we did we played Leicester away and got beat quite badly (34-14) so you could say so.

"Having said that these games are so hard when we don't have some of our full internationals (such as George Ford and Charlie Ewels) et cetera, neither do they obviously, so it's probably more a test of the depth and how well the bigger picture in terms of the club is - how well those of us who aren't away are training."

His Director of Rugby, Todd Blackadder, echoes the sentiments: "I think so (Saracens will be a guide marker). It's probably, if anything, their strength in depth (that makes them so strong). 

"We are in a really good position, more so than I thought we would be to be honest. 

"I think we have got a really good squad here, they're really tough, they're willing, and I know we're still not the finished article so there's a long way to go and we're really pleased with what we're doing.

"There's still a long way to go before we say who is going to be in the top four, we're hopeful it's going to be us but I think it's still too early to say."