Bath are Premiership’s ‘Galacticos’ – Newcastle boss Steve Diamond

Bath were the powerhouses in the early days of English league rugby, winning the title six times out of the first nine editions in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

But they have not been champions since 1996. In the era of the Premiership play-offs, they have reached the Twickenham final on three occasions but have lost every time.

The most recent was last year’s 25-21 defeat to Northampton Saints but Johann van Grann’s side have come back even stronger.

Bath have been financially backed by millionaire owner Bruce Craig since 2010, but it is only now that things are coming together with last month’s Premiership Rugby Cup their first trophy for 17 years.

Diamond, who takes his bottom-of-the-table Falcons to face them on Saturday, believes domestic rugby could be heading for an era of dominance for the men from The Rec, similar to Saracens and their six titles between 2011 and 2023.

“A lot of the other clubs spend the same as Bath but they seem to have got their act together,” he added.

“They’ve got their recruitment right and they’ve not done that in memory. I don’t think they’ve ever been in the shape they are now and it’s taken years of Bruce’s ownership.

“It just shows you can’t buy a team. Bath have been ever present in the league for 25, 30 years and they’ve not won it. The money is important but it’s your actual recruitment and they seem to have got that spot on.

“With the way they spend their money and work their cap, they have put together a team for many years, not just a one-off hit. That’s what Saracens were able to do.”