Watson confident of encore for Bath

Bath have found a turning point to their dismal season after beating Edinburgh in the Heineken Cup last week, says Luke Watson.

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Bath have found a turning point to their dismal season after beating Edinburgh in the Heineken Cup last week, says Luke Watson, and the South African is looking for more of the same today in Scotland when the sides meet again. Bath, who are 11th in the Guinness Premiership with only one league win all season, head to Murrayfield for another Pool Four appointment, and victory north of the border would keep the pressure on Stade Francais and Ulster, who clash at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels today.

"It was a really gutsy performance and a great win for the team," said the No 8 Watson, reflecting on last Sunday's 16-9 success. "We showed real character, and I really think this could be a bit of a turning point for us. "I certainly don't want to pull that card too soon and say we are going to win every game for the rest of the season. "But it is possibly a point in the competition where we can look and say we have put our hand up, put in a great effort and get our just reward."

London Irish and the European champions Leinster, who are neck and neck in Pool Six, will target back-to-back bonus point wins against respective visitors Brive and the Scarlets tomorrow. Leicester, unbeaten at Welford Road against French opposition in the Heineken Cup since early 2005, must beat visitors Clermont Auvergne tonight to have realistic chance of progressing from Pool Three.

Tigers, mauled 40-30 by Clermont last Saturday, are three points behind the French side and Welsh challengers the Ospreys, who should hit a bonus point trail against Viadana. Northampton can keep themselves in the Pool One running by seeing off Italian hosts Treviso, while the Cardiff Blues - with Richard Mustoe replacing injured wing Tom James - visit Pool Five rivals Toulouse.

Meanwhile, Stade Francais scrum-half Julien Dupuy was yesterday handed a six-month ban for eye gouging Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris. An independent disciplinary hearing in Dublin ruled that Dupuy should be suspended up to and including June 3 2010. * With agencies