DAVE Attwood believes Bath must make the most of their chance to reach the European Challenge Cup final to ensure they can view this season as a positive one.

Bath have been Aviva Premiership play-off contenders for much of the campaign but a 25-19 defeat to Worcester Warriors last weekend have seen them fall four points behind the top four with two games to go.

Lock Attwood has urged his team-mates to raise their game for Sunday’s Challenge Cup semi at Stade Francais otherwise this season may finish up as a tale of missed chances.

“We’ve got an opportunity to go away to Paris and get a result and get some final rugby,” said Attwood.

“It’s the reason we play the game. It’s certainly one of the reasons I joined Bath because I wanted to be involved in a club which was seeking silverware, playing in finals in front of big crowds at big stadiums.

“It’s very disappointing that we have had that a bit too few and far between.

“From the start of the season, we didn’t feel like we were happy to settle with better than last year.

“We have still got pretty clear objectives in terms of silverware, Europe and the league.

“We’re not going to shy away from the fact that we are an ambitious set of players.

“If we lose to Stade, it will be very disappointing, especially given the situation we have put ourselves in the league at this time.”

A week prior to loss to second-from-bottom Worcester, Bath drew level with Leicester Tigers in the race for the final Premiership play-off place by beating their rivals at Twickenham.

“We put a strong performance in against Leicester and came through it relatively unscathed and then to go to Worcester and fail to produce the goods,” added Attwood.

“If we’re serious contenders for play-off opportunities, we have got to have more desperation to make those play-offs than (Worcester) do to survive.

“It’s no longer in our control. Not only do we have to ensure victory in the remaining games for us, we also need someone to turn over Leicester and where they are peaking in their season, we are stuttering.”