Olly Barkley: It's going to be tough

By Gary Fitzgerald, sundaymirror.co.uk 25/05/2008

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP BATH v WORCESTER Today, 12pm

Olly Barkley admits he will feel a lump in his throat win or lose at Kingsholm today.

For the England ace brings his seven-year Bath career to an end in the European Challenge Cup Final against Worcester.

It's sheer coincidence that his last match is being held at the ground where he will be strutting his stuff for new club and West Country rivals Gloucester next season.

But Barkley hopes to sign off by giving Bath fans plenty to cheer about following their Guinness Premiership play-off heartbreak at the hands of Wasps a week earlier.

The utility back said: "It's going to be very emotional because I've been at the club so long and so many of my best friends are here.

"I consider it to be my home so I can assure you that the decision to leave was a very hard one.

"It wasn't a money decision, my line of thinking was very much that if I'd stayed here for another two years then I probably wouldn't have left - and I wanted to finish my career not asking questions of myself.

"I never wanted to be thinking, 'What if I'd gone there?' and wondering if I could have become a better player.

"I'll go there and give it my all and if it goes well then great, and if not then at least I tried.

"I'd love to go out with a bang. We missed out on the Premiership but winning a European trophy would be next best."

Meanwhile, Australia World Cup star Chris Latham is backing Worcester's bid for Euro glory.

The Wallabies fullback, who joins the Warriors this summer in a big-money deal, will watch in Brisbane where he is recovering from shoulder surgery.

He said: "It's fantastic that the Warriors have made the Final and I'll be backing them all the way. I'm sure I can find a bar where I can cheer on the boys."