Matt Banahan keen to become Bath Rugby legend ahead of 150th club appearance

Matt Banahan is on the brink of entering an elite club at Bath Rugby and he is now eager to push on and become a legend at The Rec. Banahan, 26, will become just the third of the club's current crop of players to hit 150 appearances when he next steps out onto the pitch, and could bring up the milestone in Saturday's Amlin Cup clash at home to Italian outfit Mogliano. Of the current squad, only full-back Nick Abendanon and club captain Stuart Hooper have managed the feat and the 6ft 7in winger says he will enter that elite club with pride. However, with the likes of Jeremy Guscott and Mike Catt having surpassed 200 club appearances with ease, England international Banahan knows he has a lot more to do before cementing his place in Bath's history. And while personal accolades are important, he is much more interested in helping the club continue their challenge for silverware on all fronts this season. "It will be a massive thing to be one of the old stalwarts of the club," said Banahan, capped 16 times by England. "When I get there it will be only three of us who have played 150 games for Bath. But I'm not going to rest on my laurels – I want to get to 200. "I came into the club when people like Lee Mears were on 200, so I would love to join that club.

Really proud of my Bro @mattbanahan1 150 appearance for Bath rugby! A proud moment for our family #allezbath#BrotherlyLove

— Paul Banahan (@Banners_Snr) December 11, 2013

"We are obviously pleased with being third in the Premiership but we have three massive league games before and after Christmas and we want to give ourselves the best opportunity to cement that place in the top four." Bath host Harlequins when the Aviva Premiership returns next weekend and follow it up with a trip to Northampton Saints shortly after Christmas. They then kick of the New Year by visiting Aviva Premiership champions Leicester Tigers. Banahan says Bath cannot look beyond like weekend, though, as they look to complete a quickfire double over Mogliano after returning from Italy with a 55-8 win last Saturday. The victory was their third in as many Amlin Cup pool games this term and Banahan is expecting another five points at The Rec – as long as Bath can produce a similarly clinical performance. "If we play like we did over in Italy, we should come back with a win," he added. "It was good – the boys played really well and came out with the five-pointer and that is what we wanted. "In the second game you know what is going to come. They are not really going to play much different to how they played seven days earlier."Every match in the Aviva Premiership Rugby Season is crucial. To be there to support your team, buy your ticket from premiershiprugby.com/tickets.