ENGLAND centre Jonathan Joseph says Bath Rugby have the belief they can cross the winning post and finally get their hands on an elusive trophy.

Bath have not claimed silverware since 2008 but Mike Ford's current side look the best bet to end that barren spell.

The Rec side went agonisingly close in last season's Amlin Cup final, only to lose out to a brilliant Northampton Saints' fightback, but are one step from landing the ultimate prize in English rugby this weekend.

Bath face Saracens in a hotly-anticipated Aviva Premiership final at Twickenham and Joseph says the team are determined not to let that opportunity for glory slip through their fingers.

"There is massive belief in the squad. We've spoken about it for such a long time now, this is where we where we want to be," said Joseph, who was recently named the RPA players' player of the year and England player of the year after a stellar season.

"We want to be playing on the big stage, we want to be winning trophies, we want to be in the Premiership final.

"It's been a great season so far but it doesn't really make sense if we come away from Twickenham empty handed.

"We were in a final last year and didn't quite make it but this season with the amount of effort the boys have put in we really want to go out there and get that trophy."

Bath's progress under the tutelage of head coach Ford has been outstanding.

Last season, a largely new-look side missed out on qualifying for the Premiership play-offs in agonising fashion on the final day, while this term they finished just one point off top spot and blitzed Leicester Tigers in their semi-final.

Joseph believes the key to success has been everyone buying into the same philosophy of producing exciting, expansive rugby, which has allowed Bath's creative maestros to flourish.

"We have come on massively. We started two years ago and last year I thought we went well but this year has definitely been a defining season for us," said Joseph.

"We've been in so much better, we came into pre-season and the chemistry was there.

"We've worked a whole season with pretty much a similar back-line and that understanding has just got better and better.

"The relationships we've gathered in that back-line, the more we play together, the better it gets. Hopefully we can take that experience into Saturday."