In Depth: Eastmond Speaks To Total Sport Following Contract Renewal

Bath Rugby centre Kyle Eastmond was in high spirits following the news that he will be spending at least the next two years with the club, following a contract extension. Total Sport caught up with Eastmond, ahead of the Six Nations squad announcement, to get his take on things.

The 26-year-old has committed himself to the Blue, Black and White until 2018 and, harboring big ambitions both domestically and internationally, the next couple of seasons could be pivotal for the English centre.

"I'm very happy. Very glad to be staying here at Bath and continuing what we have started - just looking forward to it," Eastmond began.

"This (Bath) is the only place I wanted to be, as soon as the club got in touch about re-signing we sorted things out pretty easily, over a few weeks. Now I'm just happy that it's done and dusted and we can crack on playing good rugby."

With plenty of movements in Somerset, with some of the biggest names rolling into Farleigh House, Eastmond admits that now is an exciting time to be a Bath player, both for the team collectively and on a personal level.

"I think it's an exciting time throughout, backs and forwards, we've got some great players in both departments. This is the best place personally for me to keep progressing, and that was important in my decision. I didn't just want to be somewhere that is beautiful, and things like that, I want to be getting better every day and that's what we do here," he said.

With Bath keen to show the rugby world their willingness to acquire the finest talent, Eastmond admits the chance of playing alongside fellow top professionals week-in week-out was an impacting factor in his decision to remain in Somerset.

"Without a doubt, even without them (Bath) bringing in players. The players they are bringing in are great players but I think even without that we already have a good squad, so I think it is building what we've got.

"We've started something good over the last few years and we're still on that track. We've been a bit slow this year, but there is no reason why we can't turn it around like we did on Sunday and put great performances in for the rest of the season, and finish with a really good season behind us," said the centre.

Taking a magnifying glass to his own season so far, Eastmond admitted: "I think it started off okay.

"From the Leicester game onwards I had a bit of a niggling injury but that happens and it is all about training. You can see at the weekend (against Toulon) that we have started to turn the corner. We put a great performance in for 80 minutes and I think we can really kick on from there.

"We've got to be smart with the way we play and that's what we're trying to do. We're not trying to overdo things in the wrong areas, we're trying to do the right thing at the right time, and I think on Sunday it was probably our best performance for that. Coming off Sunday I think it has put us in a good place.

"The belief in the squad has not gone anywhere, we just know that we've not been playing well enough and it is down to us guys to turn that around, and that's what we're trying to do," he added.

Bath Rugby have a tough test on the horizon, knowing they have to win both of their next European Champions Cup games against strong opposition - something Eastmond is acutely aware of.

"We know we have two tough games, but we're going to prepare the best we can for Leinster, like we always do, to go up there and gives ourselves the best chance to win," he said.

With England head coach Eddie Jones set to announce his first squad on Wednesday, many involved in the national set-up, Eastmond included, now have the opportunity to prove themselves afresh. The Bath centre conceded that regardless of the squad announcement - whether included or not - he knows what he has to do in order to keep himself in contention for selection.

"I suppose it is a clean slate for everyone really," Eastmond said.

"It's not something that I'm going to look into at all, but I know what I've got to do to give myself the best chance, and all the other players know what they have to do, and that's play as well as you can for your club. That's my focus without a doubt."

The 26-year-old however admitted he does not allow the process of national selection to faze him and potentially impact upon his usual game.

"It doesn't impact me at all. I try and play and prepare the best I can every single week, for whoever we play against. I know what's important and that is playing the best I can for Bath, then you never know what comes after that," he said.

Bath Rugby fans will be delighted to learn that after signing the new deal, only one thing was on the mind of the skillful centre; silverware. 

"I want to win. I want to win trophies and I want to win trophies here, and that's why I stayed. Hopefully I can do it with my team mates, good friends of mine. Hopefully we can all do it together," Eastmond added.