SCRUM-HALF Kahn Fotuali’i has urged Bath to prove their worth in the European Champions Cup as they prepare to kick-off their continental campaign this weekend.

Bath were battling in the lower tier Challenge Cup last season but after finishing fifth in the Aviva Premiership, they qualified back to Europe’s top table in 2017-18.

Mouth-watering matches against three-time winners Toulon await them later in the group stages but Bath open up their Pool Five programme at home to Italian side Benetton on Saturday.

Bath had to earn the place back in the continent’s premier competition so Fotuali’i is targeting a strong start at the Rec to show they are worthy of their spot.

“It’s a massive opportunity for us. Last year we were in the Challenge Cup and we ground out enough wins to get ourselves in a position to be in the Champions Cup,” said Samoan international Fotuali’i.

“It is the start of the tournament so we would like to set the tone and if we prepare well throughout the week and come with the right mindset, we should hopefully get the job done.

“It is not going to be easy, they are a good side and we are going to have to have our work cut out.

“Every game in Europe is tough. You look at the teams we are playing, this week it is a side full of Italian internationals, next week against Scarlets it is the same and then Toulon are a side full of superstar internationals.

“They are tough teams to play but we just have to focus on ourselves first and foremost.”

Bath head into Europe on the back of a fourth win in their opening six Premiership fixtures, having beaten bottom Worcester Warriors 29-13 last weekend.

Todd Blackadder’s troops were handed a gruelling schedule to open the campaign, which included matches against Leicester Tigers, Saracens, Northampton Saints and Wasps, so Fotuali’i is pleased with their healthy points return.

“It was good to finish on a positive and getting a win always builds a bit of confidence going into the next week’s game,” said Fotuali’i.

“Worcester haven’t been doing too well in terms of results but they are a good team and they have got some quality players.

"We knew we had to graft away for a bit and stick to our game plan and let the result unfold.

“We looked at the fixture list in the summer and it was definitely a tough start so four wins out of six is good.

“Obviously, we would like to win all of them but Premiership rugby is massively competitive and anyone can win on the day.”