Batley sets sights on reaching top
JOE Batley has two remaining targets in a career that started at Gloucester 10 years ago – help Bristol win the Premiership for the first time and gain international recognition.
The 28-year old second row is in his second stint with the Bears after playing for the club for 30 months from 2017. He rejoined five years later after stints with Leicester and Worcester and has established himself as one of the mainstays of the side.
He has started all except one of the Bears’ last 26 Premiership matches, the blow-out against Newcastle at Ashton Gate last April when he was rested, and has started the season in rampaging form with Bristol topping the table after four rounds.
“We were very disappointed after losing at home to Gloucester, but bounced back against Bath and Exeter,” said Batley. “To get to where we want to be in June, we have to put in the hard work now. There is no easy game in this league and you have to always be on it.”
Bristol are unbeaten away from home in the Premiership in 2024 with Sale, Leicester, Harlequins and Bath among their victims.
“We are proud of being a tough team top beat away, but we want Ashton Gate to become a fortress,” said Batley. “I have aspirations to win the Premiership and I think I can achieve that with Bristol.
“I want to become a centurion and I would like to go to the next level and achieve international honours. I believe I can do that but it is another thing to get the opportunity. As a boy your benchmark was wearing the rose and that fire still burns brightly in me. There were a few times when I thought that professional rugby would not happen for me and although I am now playing every week, I am not satisfied.
“I get excited by what could happen next. I understand there are limitations in my game and I want to minimise them and not give Bristol a reason not to pick me. We only have two players in the current England squad, but if we continue to play well and push for the Premiership, more here will get an opportunity, especially with the A side playing again. I would like to be one of them and to get England honours would be amazing.”
Batley scored a try and had an assist as Bristol overcame a 20-point deficit to win at Exeter last weekend with a stunning second-half comeback that followed victories at Newcastle and Bath.
“I am enjoying my rugby,” he said. “We had a long off-season thinking about what could have been after we fell two points short of making the play-offs and looked forward to putting a few things right.
“This is the fittest I have ever been. I got my backside kicked in pre-season and hated the coaches a bit, but now I am grateful for the rewards of all that hard work.
“My top speed is as quick as ever and my numbers suggest I am doing a lot more. We are excited about where we can go as a pack and while we like to play what is in front of us and trust our instincts, the wins at Sale and Leicester showed we can do it when the chips are down.
“A year ago we were coming out just on the wrong side in matches. We fell into the stat game a bit as a team and we asked ourselves what we stood for. Pat (Lam, director of rugby) said we had to play our game and put pressure on others by doing what we do well.
“I am thoroughly enjoying the way we are playing. Even when we were a long way behind Exeter, we had self-belief. Ellis Genge talked to us under the posts after they had scored an intercept try and said we could still win.
“What we have to show is that we can still do it when the weather turns and it gets muddy. That comes down to working hard off the ball and giving everything.”
