By Mark Orlovac

Meehan (L) says the Premiership is tougher than the Top 14 in France

New Bath coach Steve Meehan believes skill levels in England are more than a match for the elite level in France.

Meehan, who was assistant coach at Stade Francais for four years, has been impressed with what he has seen after joining Bath this summer.

"I think there is a bit of a myth surrounding how talented teams and players are in France," he said.

"It is talked up a bit, but the skill levels at Bath are better than when I was initially involved with Stade."

Australian Meehan, who started his coaching career with Queensland, worked with ex-Springboks coach Nick Mallett and former French scrum-half star Fabien Galthie at Stade before being lured to the Rec.

He won two French championship titles and reached the 2005 Heineken Cup final during his time in Paris but believes the Premiership will provide a bigger test than the Top 14.

"The Premiership is obviously a very intense competition," he said. "There is no place to rest or hide.

"The need to manage your squad is very important in order to keep the players fresh, both physically and mentally.

It is not ideal when you have wholesale coaching changes but it has been handled very well Bath skipper Steve Borthwick

"I believe the Premiership is more challenging than the Top 14 competition in France.

"Whether you are playing the Premiership leaders or the 12th-placed team, it is always going to be a difficult game.

"The Top 14 gives you a breather from time to time. If you are with one of the better clubs in France and are playing someone in the bottom four, you can put the points in the bag."

The 37-year-old heads a new coaching team at Bath, following the departure of head coach Brian Ashton, skills coach Richard Graham and forwards coach Michael Foley during the summer.

The upheaval was a setback for a club that had progressed so impressively under Ashton during the second half of last season.

Meehan, who is assisted by forwards coach Mark Bakewell, originally joined as a backs coach but was promoted to acting head coach at the start of August.

And skipper Steve Borthwick says he has been impressed by the new coaching set up and has called on his side to end their barren run of 10 years without a trophy.

"Whenever there is change there is a period where you have to adapt but all credit to Steve and Mark, they have not drastically changed things," he said.

"They have gradually brought in new ideas to take our game forward and the players have really embraced that.

"It is not ideal when you have wholesale coaching changes but it has been handled very well.

"As players now we really need to step up and deliver the consistent level of performance that we have seen glimpses of over the last couple of years."

Bath begin their Premiership campaign away to Gloucester on Saturday.