‘In Johann we trust!’ – Bath legend John Hall pays tribute to the ‘Van Graan way’
Bath legenJohn Hall has hailed the impact of Johann van Graan.
When you look back on Bath’s rise to the top of the pile in English rugby during the 80s and 90s, one man stands tall as one of the key drivers of the culture and performances of those great sides – former England flanker John Hall.
The Bath back-rower was a man who should have had many more caps than the 21 he managed, but injuries, particularly a troublesome knee, curtailed his Test career despite him being a shoo-in for selection when fit.
Phenomenally strong and in his prime, lightning quick for a man of 6’3″ and some 17 stone, the All Blacks cited him as England’s best player on the 1985 tour, where Hall put in some enormous performances in adversity.
But it was in the blue black and white that he thrived; 277 appearances, 87 tries, five championships as a player and one as a Director of Rugby speaks volumes about Hall’s contribution to the club, one he continues to this day as Bath President and Chairman of Bath Rugby Heritage.
Managing change
With his grandfather, uncle and father (Peter) all Bath playing icons, his family span a century of rugby at the Rec, and many believe Hall to be the ultimate barometer of Bath fortunes.
As one staff member commented, “When Hally smiles, we’re doing well. When he frowns, we know there’s work to do!”
And, right now, with Bath heading towards a Premiership Final showdown with Northampton Saints, Hall is beaming with pride, and he cites Johann van Graan’s work within the Club as both a turning point and driving force in the Bath resurgence.
“What impressed me most about Johann is that he arrived in 2021 with a plan; absolute clarity of what needed to be done and a lot of detail,” Hall said.
“I mean, Bath at that point were in turmoil. I think we had a loss by 60 odd against Gloucester and it was a very, very difficult time here. We’re a club whose supporters expect success, and we simply weren’t delivering – everyone at the club was feeling the pain.
“During that initial period, Johann kept his counsel but running up to Christmas that year he started to implement change – change in the team, his management structure and his coaching team.
“He went about his work in a methodical way and talked about trusting, trusting the process that we had to go through, he must have been under enormous pressure during that period of change when we were still struggling in the league. I admire him for sticking to that plan because at the end of the season, we were moving up the table and managed to qualify the Champions Cup, it was an amazing end to the season.
“Unlike many Director of Rugbys, Johann’s personal journey didn’t start on the pitch but more so in pure rugby technical analysis. That gives him structure and detail and that in turn underpins his planning. He articulates it clearly, he sticks to and trusts that plan, and then he gets people to buy in, which he’s done fantastically well,” admired Hall.
Different styles
“Rugby and society have moved on from my playing days, and whilst the culture must be different to include modernist values, the key words that remains are trust and honesty and those values are what all great teams are built upon across the eras.
“There’s no doubt that he’s built both of those into his plan, and I always use the expression internally ‘In Johann we trust!’ He’s a good person with great values, simple ones that people buy into and align with the club.
“He genuinely loves Bath, the players and the environment; that really comes across in his persona and that makes people buy into him and believe in him,” said the former England flank.
“Bath is a city that places immense value on its rugby heritage and the club is very much part of the culture of the community. People perceive the place as a super wealthy city, but there’s many facets to it, however the club brings people together from all backgrounds and walks of life; I was a working-class lad but one who had great connectivity to the club from a playing perspective; my grandad played for Bath either side of the First World War, my Uncle and Dad both played (Peter Hall was President for many years), so I was well aware of the massive galvanising effect Bath Rugby plays around the city in contributing to our local identity.
“Understanding that is a key part of Johann’s role and he gets it. He fits in brilliantly with those wider values and in turn, the locals get him and really embrace his honesty and commitment to getting the club back to where we believe it should be.”
The three keys
“One of the things that we have been promoting at the club is that there are three keys to our culture – we need to recognise and celebrate our past, focus on the present and build for our future.
“Three simple keys to our success – and that mantra is shared across our board, management and players, with our owner, Bruce Craig, trusting in our vision, and by our CEO Tarquin MacDonald, someone who has stayed with the club through thick and thin and done a tremendous job.
“And it’s never been more ‘present’ than it is now,” Hall smiled.
“A couple of seasons back, when Johann joined there were key players missing. Our academy development, outside recruitment and scouting has delivered the right players to fill those gaps. Rob Burgess is doing a great job helping recruit talent and when you start to win and the word gets out there, then it becomes easier to attract the highest calibre of player.
“So, I think we now have a great foundation. Do you get cocky about that? No – if you do then you lose momentum – you maintain that laser focus on the present and you keep working to your plan, which is exactly what Johann is doing.
“You keep playing, you keep trying to win, and all of a sudden, it becomes habitual,” mused Hall.
“It isn’t a linear journey. I always talk about this like climbing up a number plateaus; you climb up the first part of the mountain and you start getting comfortable with the level you’re operating and then you challenge yourself again and you go up to the next plateau, and then you feel comfortable there. And then you’re on to the next one and then suddenly you just know what you need to do to win.
“As you get higher and higher you can start to take stock of the situation, you look around you say, wow, we are as high as anyone around us sometimes higher and that’s when it sinks in that you’re succeeding. It was these steps and stages that I went through as a player and that’s the journey we are on right now.
He continued: “We had a real love of rugby; a love of playing for a team, loving playing alongside your teammates, and your fellow players.
“You know, I’m not embarrassed to say that many of the players that I played, I love them dearly,” he admitted.
“I absolutely love them because they were honest, we were tough on each other but we were honest with each other. Creating that atmosphere and that feeling within a team is just magical and I think Johann is doing exactly that and that makes me extremely proud.”
Premiership final beckons
With a Premiership title just 80 minutes away, Bath will enter the final on Saturday as slight underdogs to Northampton Saints, a team that’s led the table for a grand portion of the season. Hall is bullish about his club continuing their journey and becoming champions at the weekend.
“Can we beat Saints? Absolutely! Of course we can.
“We played them at the start of the season up there, and it was a close encounter so it’s all in the melting pot. It’ll be a tough game for both sides, one where the basics – set piece and breakdown- will be key despite the fact both teams love attacking rugby.
“What is great is Saints, like Bath, have been fantastic this season and have played some very attractive rugby and I do believe it’s right that the best two sides are in this final. It’ll be an amazing occasion, but I believe the result is in our own hands and winning the Premiership is all about sticking to our plans and process, the Van Graan way, the way that’s got us to where we are.”
