Joe Cokanasiga admits Bath Rugby required 'big mindset change' to become Gallagher Premiership Rugby title contenders

Bath winger Joe Cokanasiga admitted his club had "underachieved" since he joined in 2018, but their fortunes were now changing.

Cokanasiga was in fine form after Bath recorded a 25-17 victory against Harlequins to rise to the top of the Gallagher Premiership Rugby table with 32 points.

The team have struggled in the league in recent years, placing eighth, 13th and seventh in the past three seasons.

"It's really satisfying," Cokanasiga told TNT Sports. "It’s like a big mindset change. You can see now the boys are willing to fight for each other."

The 26-year-old was named player of the match after scoring two tries at the Recreation Ground.

"We wanted to finish top of the table going into Christmas, and that's what we got," he added. "It’s been a big couple of weeks for us and we have to keep it rolling now."

Bath have not just been in excellent form in the Gallagher Premiership - they have also won both of their matches in the Champions Cup, shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

The team's renaissance has been attributed to head coach Johann van Graan, who joined the club at the start of last season.

Speaking to TNT Sports after his side’s victory against Harlequins, Van Graan explained how he had brought about the resurgence.

"A clear vision as to where we’re going," he said. "When I started, I said what happened before July last year doesn't matter.

"We're going to look forward, become a team tough to beat, and focus on the fundamentals.

"In order to do that, you need good people and we've got an incredible playing group here that understands that hard work is going to be needed. Hard work, a bit of luck and a lot of grace."

Harlequins scored a last-minute try against Bath to reduce their deficit, but Marcus Smith’s conversion attempt came off the post.

Van Graan praised his team for their mentality towards the end of the match, preventing Harlequins from getting back into the encounter.

"We said we have to become tough to beat, and attack shows the confidence of a team," he said.

"But the finish shows the commitment of the team, and there is commitment literally to the last try. Even when Harlequins scored in the last minute, we still fought for the charge down. We've got a clear identity in how we want to do things."

Van Graan added: "We've got a long way to go, we're not going to get carried away with ourselves but two important things for me – make players better and let them enjoy the journey, and they’re certainly enjoying that."

- - -

TNT Sports presents the premium live sports rights previously carried by BT Sport including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing, NBA and WWE. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, , where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination. You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.