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David Wilson Talks To Total Sport After Extending Bath Contract
Total Sport caught up with Bath Rugby and England international David Wilson, following the news the tighthead prop had signed a contract extension to remain with the Somerset club for another two years.
After committing his future to the Blue, Black and White, the 30-year-old admitted he simply didn't want to be anywhere else.
"I'm glad to be here, it's a good place to be. it's a good, ambitious club and they're heading in the right direction and doing all the right things, so I'm happy," Wilson began.
"I didn't really look around too much, I was happy to be here. I think there was a few other options but i'm happy here in the South West. I've got a little boy here with my missus and I'm quite enjoying life to be fair. I enjoy the rugby and on and off the field it is pretty good."
Turning his attention to his own stop-start season, Wilson admitted disappointment, but recognises the opportunity to turn things around.
"I'm a little disappointed. I had a little niggle, I got concussion and they gave me a week off and then I came back and got ill so it was a bit of a nightmare, and the game got cancelled as well - so there was like four weeks where I didn't play much rugby, so that set me back a little bit," said Wilson.
"But I think as a tighthead you need games, there is no amount of fitness (training) you can do to emulate match fitness, so it's literally a case of playing. I feel I'm in a position to push on and give something back to the team now and start performing well for the rest of the season.
"But now I firmly feel like I've got back on track, I think I played well against Toulon at the weekend and the scrums went well," he added.
Wilson came back into the first XV set-up for last weekend's European game against Toulon, a match in which Bath came close to taking the win.
"We did well in the scrum, so I was pleased with that and pleased with the set-piece in Toulon," said Wilson.
"On the whole I thought we edged it, we could have quite easily won. It's a step in the right direction, that performance will give us a lot of confidence.
"If you look at their (Toulon's) players, on paper they would beat most international sides in the world, so it's certainly a step in the right direction. The boys fronted up and played with a lot of pride, courage and heart. If we can do that every week we won't go far wrong."
Next up Bath travel to Leinster, in a European game they cannot afford to lose. Set to come up against many familiar foe, Wilson is relishing the opportunity to face a side experiencing similar fortunes to Bath.
Acknowledging the large number of the Irish national pack in the Leinster side, Wilson said:
"We've played against them a couple of times, against Ireland, and they're going to be a good side and we need to turn up.
"They've had a similar season to us, I think they've probably underachieved a bit this season, and we're the same, so they will be wanting to get their season back on track. I haven't seen their team yet but it is going to be tough - they're a very proud team."
With Bath proving to the rugby world their willingness to acquire the finest talent, Wilson insists this was a factor in signing his new deal - to have the opportunity to play alongside the very best, along with the high calibre of talent already within the Bath squad.
"I think it works both ways. You want to be pushed by the players below you, or above you, but in the same breath you want to share the place with good players," said Wilson.
"Hand on heart I probably couldn't play 80 minutes every single week, but to come off and for Henry (Thomas) to come on and do a good job is a good feeling - you want the guy coming on to do an awesome job, you don't want to feel like they're going to let the side down and you want that good strength in depth throughout the squad.
"I think that is what we're trying to achieve, for me the strength in depth is key for a good finish in the league, if someone gets injured someone else steps up. I've not had the best start to the season but I think Henry has done an awesome job so I think that's what we need."
Following the official annoucement of England head coach Eddie Jones' first national squad, Wilson was overlooked by the new boss in favour of more youthful personnel.
Speaking prior to the announcement, Wilson foresaw the decision and admitted his pride at what he has already achieved with the national set-up.
"Sometimes they (England) build for the next World Cup, and that's what they did when Stuart Lancaster came, they chopped a few older guys so I'm not sure what will happen, but i'll be proud if I get picked, if not i'll be proud of what I've achieved in the past," he said.
Looking to the future, Wilson makes clear that silverware is high up the agenda for Bath Rugby club and insists club's recent patch of poor form has not dampened spirits.
"We want silverware, we certainly haven't wrote it off, there's not many points between where we are and the top four to be fair.
"It's (the poor form) probably improved the mood to be honest, I think last year we would roll up to games and expect to do well and expect to win, and I think it just hasn't quite happened this year. I think there's more desire to win now.
"To make the good times better you have to witness the bad times, and I think that's where we are at the minute. I really believe we want to get back to winning ways and I think we're trying harder than ever and we want it more than ever now.
"There's still an unbelievably good mood in camp - it's a good place to be even though we haven't quite got the joys we've had before," Wilson added.
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