In-form Bath were victorious on French soil against Bordeaux-Begles in Round 1 before repeating the trick with a 26-10 success over Newport Gwent Dragons in the West Country. Although they failed to pick up a try-scoring bonus point on either occasion, Gary Gold’s troops are in control of Pool 2 ahead of what they will hope will be a maximum-point return against the Italian Champions at the Stadio Comunale Maurizio Quaggia and The Rec this Saturday and next.

The two sides have never met but have vastly contrasting European records. Heineken Cup winners in 1998 and Amlin Challenge Cup kings a decade later, Bath secured 29 out of a possible 30 points in the pool stages last season, while Mogliano were unable to get off the mark in their debut continental campaign. The Italians battled bravely in defeat to Bordeaux-Begles in Round 2 having been beaten 50-8 at the Dragons in their opening tie this term but they remain pointless after just missing out on a losing bonus point against their French visitors.

Bath return to European action on a high after winning all six games since the last round of continental competition in mid-October. Exeter Chiefs and Sale Sharks were seen off in the LV= Cup and Gloucester, Worcester Warriors, London Wasps and the Chiefs once more were all beaten in the Aviva Premiership as Bath jumped to third spot in their domestic table.

Moglaino won their most recent domestic feature 15-12 at Mantovani Lazio but they lost their two other games since the second round of the Amlin Challenge Cup, going down 26-5 away to Rovigo and 27-19 home to I Cavalieri Prato.