Bath boss Blackadder annoyed despite derby win
A 44-20 victory at home to west country rivals Gloucester assured Bath of a place in next season's European Champions Cup.
But the result still left Bath four points behind fourth-placed Leicester heading into the final round of regular season matches, with only the top four at that stage heading into the play-offs.
Even if Bath achieve a bonus-point win at Sale next weekend, Leicester will require a solitary losing bonus point away to Worcester to make sure of fourth place.
"We cannot control what the other teams are doing going forward but, when you leave these things to chance, these things happen," said former New Zealand international Blackadder after Sunday's success at Bath's Recreation Ground.
"I am pleased we played the rugby we are capable of today. When I reflect on the season, inconsistencies have certainly really killed our chances. We can only really look at ourselves so it is what it is.
"But we wanted to finish things off today, particularly at home. There are a lot of guys who played their last home games and to make the top six in the Premiership was the goal."
Toby Faletau showed the form that has earned the powerhouse Wales No.8 a place in the British and Irish Lions squad for their upcoming tour of New Zealand with three tries for Bath.
Blackadder, himself a former lock and flank, was full of praise for Faletau, saying: "He was just unbelievable today. There was a world-class player right there."
Gloucester's England wing Jonny May went over for tries in each half but these were rare highlights for the visitors and Director of Rugby David Humphreys did not pull any punches in assessing the Cherry and Whites' second-half slump.
"Embarrassing is probably the word," said the former Ireland flyhalf. "It is a huge sense of embarrassment and probably the worst 10 minutes of rugby in the last three years."
Agence France-Presse
