The BT Sport Arms Park side suffered a nightmare start to the season after a summer of upheaval and won just once in their opening eight matches.
But they turned it around against Grenoble on the first weekend of the Challenge Cup and claimed another bonus-point win away at Italian minnows Rovigo. And ‘Hammer’ is keen to keep the momentum rolling when they welcome last-eight rivals London Irish to the Welsh capital in the first part of a crucial double-header.
He said: “It’s a big month and there is a real energy and lift in how we have been as a squad. We want momentum through December and we have got to action that. That starts in the week with what we do; how we prepare and get in the right mental state for the physical battle that is coming and then deliver.”
The two sides are locked on 10 points at the top of pool one, with this double-header set to decide the team guaranteed a place in the knockout stages.
But Hammett has an ace up his sleeve. He has added new signing Gareth Anscombe to his European squad after the Kiwi-born fly-half recovered from a dead leg.
And he wants the regions’ fans to rally behind their side in a bid to give them the advantage in the two-horse race for the quarter-finals.
He said: “You always hope that playing at home first is an advantage. Playing at home, though, doesn’t just get the job done.
“You’ve got to perform with passion and line speed, get from A to B quickly and do your job. We need clarity on that and that is absolutely critical because the atmosphere can really add and enhance your performance. Playing at home is something we relish.”
