One of the biggest reasons for Bath's successful season has been the rumbustious form of Matt Stevens. The England forward, who has sung for his supper on The X Factor: Battle of the Stars, raised a small fortune for charity, met Nelson Mandela and become a personality in his own right, has made himself probably the best all-round tight-head prop in England.

If Phil Vickery had not been captain of the national team for this year's RBS Six Nations Championship, there would have been a strong argument for starting with the South Africa-born Stevens, who, at the age of 25, is showing consistently the level of performance that marked him down as one for the future as a schoolboy in Durban. His marauding display against Leicester 11 days ago, when Bath produced probably their finest 40-minute spell of rugby for many a year, was colossal in the tight and loose.

He has always said that celebrity comes second to rugby. It is not that Stevens, whose father is a successful businessman and owns a chain of hotels, does not enjoy an element of the high life. But he wants to be remembered as someone who fulfilled his talent, rather than wasted it.

A sporting career can be a hazardous one, as Stevens knows only too well having had to have his right shoulder reconstructed two years ago. So it is a question of making the most of opportunities, which means beating Sale Sharks in today's European Challenge Cup semi-final at the Recreation Ground, where the home team have lost only once this season, to London Wasps.

Bath used to be old hands at European competition. Indeed, they were the first English club to lift the Heineken Cup, in 1998. Stevens, who has been capped 26 times, said:

“We've made the Rec a very difficult place to come and play this season. But we also know our defence is going to have to be top drawer if we are to compete with them. If you look at our attack, it is something we are constantly working on and developing and are confident of executing. We are pretty sure it is going to be an absolute war of attrition, given that both sides are very physical and are well aware of what is at stake.”

Simon Halliday, the former England player and a Bath favourite, who is back at the club as a non-executive director, believes that Stevens will be a contender to succeed the departing Steve Borthwick as captain next season. “Without doubt he is a world-class player,” Halliday said, “but he has also become a vocal influence on the team. After the Leeds match in the quarter-final he gave a post-match pep talk about the targets for the remainder of the season. He is very influential. He has helped to give us a sense of purpose.”

Bath have no injury worries but Sale are without the international quartet of Jason White, Sébastien Chabal, Magnus Lund and Mark Cueto. Luke McAlister and Sébastien Bruno are fit.