Roko at the ready to stake claim for Bath’s back-three

SEMESA Rokoduguni has vowed to step into the breach and cover for Bath’s England World Cup call-ups and earn a Red Rose recall of his own in the process.

The prolific try scorer has touched down 49 times in 106 appearances for Bath and won the last of his four England caps against Samoa in 2017.

Bath will start the new Premiership campaign away to Bristol on Friday, October 18 without England World Cup back three players Rory McConnochie, Anthony Watson and Joe Cokanasiga.

Rokoduguni hopes to star while they’re absent and the 32-year-old said: “I have ambitions to play for England but I’m not in the squad so I just have to concentrate on my own game in order to get better.

“I have my work cut out to make the Bath side let alone England when you look at the talent we have in the back three.

“Anthony, Ruaridh and Joe are all in the England squad. I want to do well while they’re away and if I can keep a place in the Bath team over one of them when they come back I will have done well.

“Hopefully it will make the selectors take notice, but ultimately different coaches have different opinions.”

With director of rugby Todd Blackadder having departed at the end of last season Bath are now under the tutelage of former captain Stuart Hooper.

While Rokoduguni believes Bath have the personnel to reach the Premiership play-offs, he warns they must get their season off to a flyer against Bristol at Ashton Gate.

He said: “With the players we have right now and considering we will have a lot of our international players to come back in, I think we should definitely be aiming to make the play-offs.

“If we can start off our season with a couple of wins it will give us a winning mentality and set us off in the right direction.”