Saints ready to kick on as start of league season edges ever closer

​Those are the words of Saints boss Phil Dowson, who fully expects another increase in performance when Bath come calling for a Premiership Rugby Cup pool clash on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).

Saints have won one and lost two of their cup matches, following on from two defeats from as many games in pre-season.

They have started to reintroduce some senior players to game action during the past couple of weeks and will continue to do so this weekend.

Saints host Bath on Saturday before finishing their cup campaign at home to Doncaster Knights a week later.

Then it’s the start of the serious business as they travel to Sale Sharks for the Gallagher Premiership opener on October 15.

And Dowson said: “I'm feeling pretty good.

“As disappointing as it was to lose in the last minute (Saints were beaten 39-38 at Bristol Bears last Saturday), and I appreciate fans maybe don't want to hear it, but there was a lot of good stuff in there that we tried on the training field that we see now in games.

“We just need to kick on and apply that for longer periods of time, and I've no doubt we'll do that this weekend.

“Anyone who has played will know it takes a while to get your lungs back and your mindset and make sure you're playing properly.

“It's all part of the process of making sure we're ready for the Premiership and we're making sure we show up this weekend against Bath.”

Bristol picked a strong side against Saints last weekend, and Dowson is hoping to see similar from Bath.

“Ealing was a strong side, Cambridge came as strong as they could and that's good for us because we want to be challenged,” he said.

“It's the best way to get us ready so whoever Bath pick, we'll be ready and raring to go.”