Bath head coach Steve Meehan has told his players to relax and believe in themselves after their 27-16 defeat at home to Newcastle.

Bath have won only once in the Guinness Premiership this season and are yet to win at home, but Meehan refused to be downbeat.

He said: "We are training very well. The effort is terrific. But after this run of results we have to rely on the strong characters in this team and the belief that there really is a lot of talent in the side, and get back to playing the type of rugby that we know we are capable of.

"The guys will spend a lot of time looking at themselves, their own performances and thinking about how they can do things better, individually and collectively.

"We've been through moments like this in the past and if they continue to work hard for each other then we will come out of it. We've just got to relax and do the basics."

Another worry on the horizon for Meehan is the possibility that both his tightheads, David Wilson and Duncan Bell, may be called into the England squad next week for the autumn internationals.

"If we lose Wilson and Bell for next week (at home to Saracens) and potentially each week into November then we need to look at our resources and what we can do," Meehan added. Will we be able to take the field, knowing the health and safety issues and that we have a duty of care? The next tighthead is a 17 or 18-year-old, Kane Newport, and we can't do that at all. That's a question for the PRL (Premier League Rugby)."

Meehan's opposite number, Steve Bates, was cock-a-hoop with his side's first win in the Premiership, a performance which belied their 11th place going into the game. He said: "We've got an eight-hour coach journey home but it will be a little bit sweeter. The Premiership is a really tough environment to build a team. The boys should take a great amount of credit for the way they have worked, but there's still a lot to do. Today's game has gone our way and it's one we'll remember for a long time."