DOMINIC Day cannot hide his frustration at missing out on an international call-up this season but the second-row insists Bath Rugby’s fine recent form has gone a long way to easing his pain.

Up until last weekend’s narrow 25-23 defeat to Northampton Saints Gary Gold’s side had been nigh on unbeatable in 2013, starting the New Year with six wins from their first seven games in all competitions.

And Day has been a key figure in that fine run, forming a potent second-row pairing with Dave Attwood that has seen Bath re-enter the play-off race in the Aviva Premiership.

Currently seventh but only six points behind fourth-placed Gloucester Rugby with their local rivals coming to the Rec tonight (8pm), Gold’s troops are in the top-four mix.

For Day internationally it has been a case of what might have been, the Welshman picked up an injury at just the wrong time with Rob Howley’s side suffering an injury crisis in the second row.

The unproven Andrew Coombs has stepped into the Wales engine room this Six Nations and has been one of the finds of the tournament so far but according to Day, who joined Bath from Scarlets this summer, his club form has merited a call-up.

“The injury I got came at just the wrong time because I felt like I was in with a chance of challenging for the Six Nations squad,” he said.

“My club form has been good and I have been lucky enough to have been involved in almost every game this season.

“I thought I had done enough to warrant a call-up, like every player I have international ambitions but I will have to wait for my chance to come.

“The way we as a club have been playing recently has been great though, the top four is definitely where we are aiming.

“The loss to Northampton last weekend was a bit of a gutter in that respect, I felt like we did enough to win that game, particularly in the second half.”

Day concedes that the early stages of his move across the border from Scarlets were tough to come to terms with.

But after settling in under Gold the lock insists he does not regret making the switch for one second.

“In the first weeks I did wonder whether I had got it wrong,” he added.

“It was very tough to start with but I was getting stale in Wales and needed a new challenge and this has been fantastic for me.

“I am really enjoying my rugby and as a team we have really started to click, it took a while for us but if you look at our form now it’s easy to see that we are a very strong side.

“With two cup semi-finals to come, stealing a spot in the top four would just be the icing on the cake.”

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