BATH director of rugby Todd Blackadder has praised the resilience shown by his side in the early weeks of the season as they look to make it three wins on the bounce in the Aviva Premiership this evening.

After surviving three yellow cards and a late Leicester Tigers onslaught to win their season opener a fortnight ago, Bath made it back-to-back wins last weekend with a gutsy home success over reigning European Champions Cup holders Saracens.

After building up a 14-point lead at half-time, Blackadder’s side found themselves four points in arrears in the closing stages, only for two late Semesa Rokoduguni tries to turn the game once more at the Rec as the hosts triumphed 31-21.

Bath travel to Northampton Saints tonight and boss Blackadder is thrilled by the guts and determination shown by his troops so far in the 2017-18 campaign.

“We had a tough pre-season and I am pleased that everything we talked about and worked hard on has been transferred out of it and now the challenge is consistency,” said Blackadder.

“We have found a response in adversity in both games and that’s probably the thing I am most proud of.

“I think in the past we might have given up or lacked a bit of belief in those clutch moments and we have hung tough.

“I don’t think we can keep doing it every week by any means but we have managed to find a way so far.”

Northampton got the better of Leicester in their east Midlands derby last time out, with Saints bouncing back from a 55-24 drubbing against Sarries in their curtain raiser, so Blackadder knows a stiff test awaits at Franklin’s Gardens.

“They are a good side. I didn’t read anything into that first week. I have been put to the sword by Saracens and on a good day, they can make it look so easy,” said Blackadder.

“When you have got a team with the England captain (Dylan Hartley) in it and the other class players that they have, they were always going to bounce back.

“They are a proud club and have got proud men in charge of them.

“They have shown a bit of resilience and I thought they were playing some fantastic rugby towards the end of last season and they are more than capable of carrying that on so they are a dangerous side.”