‘This is our story’ – Johann van Graan credits success on return of a ‘champion’ as Bath look to take their ‘moment in time’
Under Van Graan’s stewardship the senior players have really stood up and led.
When Johann van Graan joined Bath, one of his first moves was to watch a video of them playing in Bordeaux. The club was at rock bottom, and he wanted to understand how far it had fallen.
The game he chose was the Champions Cup final of 1998, the Heineken Cup as it was at the time. Even allowing for last season’s trophy treble, it remains Bath’s high point since the sport went professional.
“I tried to learn as much as I could when I arrived,” explains the South African. “My philosophy is understand before being understood. I needed to understand what had come before.”
And so he watched as a Bath side coached by Andy Robinson took on champions Brive at Stade Lescure and trailed throughout. Somehow, they found a way to stay in the fight and win through Jon Callard’s stoppage-time penalty.
“That is some great inspiration for us,” says Van Graan, whose side are back in the city today, again to face the tournament holders, this time in a semi-final.
“One of the biggest things I’ve learned is you always respect your past, understand the history and the battles fought before. We’re so proud of the club that was founded in 1865.
“But a lesson in life is you’ve got to be in the now. The way I see sport is if you live in the past, you’ll stay in the past. This is a new story. This is our story.”
“We started at zero, literally last place”
The day he replayed that video, in July 2022, Bath were still coming to terms with finishing last in the Gallagher Premiership. Had there been relegation, they would have gone.
Four years on and the club are champions of England, in a strong position to retain that crown whilst also bidding to become the first club since Wasps in 2004 to go from winning the European Challenge Cup to lifting the Champions Cup 12 months later.
“We started at zero, literally last place,” says Van Graan. “And we’ve fought our way through to where we are now, playing some of the biggest games in world club rugby. We are grateful. A humble group of players are busy writing their own history.”
Two monumental visits to Bordeaux, separated by 28 years, but with one common thread. Robinson, head coach of the class of 1998 before going on to lead England, is back at the Rec as assistant coach.
“Robbo is a champion of a man,” says Van Graan. “I brought him back in and he’s made such a big difference not only to my life, but also that of the current team.”
Since his return, initially as head academy coach, Bath have won three trophies. Between 1998 and 2024 the club managed just one.
“You can never buy experience,” Van Graan adds. “You cannot buy wisdom. And you can’t buy love for the club. Robbo’s given all of those things to us as a group.”
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“We play rugby with a smile on our face”
This weekend provides arguably the greatest test yet. Bordeaux have ripped through this tournament like a tornado; fearlessly defending their crown, scoring more tries than anyone else.
They have stuck 64 points on Leicester, 50 on Northampton and Scarlets, 46 on the Bulls. In the quarter-finals they eliminated six-time winners and French champions Toulouse, just as they had in the semi-finals last season.
“You can very quickly get dragged into all the things they can do because they are a very good side,” Van Graan admits.
“Mathieu Jalibert has been one of the premier 10s throughout the season. I thought he had a fantastic Six Nations; incredible kicking game, brilliant show and go. He always seems to have time on the ball.
“Louis Bielle-Biarrey has taken wing play to another level in the northern hemisphere. Not only his speed, but his decision making, his defence, his aerial skills. That chip and chase of his is magnificent. For two years he has been fantastic.
“But our focus remains on what we have to do. Over the last three years and 10 months we’ve become very comfortable with who we are. We understand how we want to play the game.
“We are never too high, never to low, we try and get better. Most importantly, we play rugby with a smile on our face.”
Van Graan adds: “This is the first time in 20 years our club is playing in a Champions Cup semi-final. We’re up against one of the European powerhouses, the champions of last season.
“But in sport you can’t lose what you don’t have. We play in this competition to measure ourselves against the best. For us the occasion is amazing, we want to be part of games like this.”
English clubs have made 30 appearances in the last four, with 16 advancing to the showpiece. Bath edged past Pau at the Rec in ’98 but eight years later came up short against Biarritz in San Sebastián.
“Sport is about moments in time. We have got to take ours.”
Two decades on from that disappointment at Estadio Anoeta the Blue, Black and White return with a spring in their step. Financially strong off the field, no less powerful on it.
Under Van Graan’s stewardship the senior players have really stood up and led. Ben Spencer, Finn Russell, Thomas du Toit, Tom Dunn and Sam Underhill have been immense.
Max Ojomoh, Henry Arundell, Guy Pepper and Will Muir have been capped by England; Ollie Lawrence, Ted Hill and Josh Bayliss have flourished, Alfie Barbeary become a dominant force.
Such a squad effort has the past 18 months been that it is almost incongruous to pick out individuals. What about Kepu Tuipulotu and Billy Sela, 20 and 21 respectively, who have enjoyed breakout campaigns in the front row?
Not a mention for Santi Carreras, Tom de Glanville, Cam Redpath and Joe Cokanasiga? How about a nod to Beno Obano, Miles Reid, Quinn Roux and Charlie Ewels..
For all that, this competition has reached a stage where every opponent is formidable. And when the best play the best it comes down to small margins.
“One of the things I’m most proud of about our group, our club, is we’ve never said we’re going to achieve X, Y, Z,” Van Graan says. “We stay in the moment.
“In the two previous rounds we were put under severe pressure by two very good teams, in Saracens and Bath. We came through and now we face another pressure cooker game, as the English would say.
“The challenge is to be ourselves. I’ve been lucky and privileged to be involved in two European semi-finals before as well as five Super Rugby semis.
“They are big occasions but, ultimately, what you face remains a game of rugby. In very simplistic terms: four white lines, one ball, 30 players on the field, both sides with eight players on the bench.
“From there rugby happens and you’ve got to be adaptable, bring composure under pressure. I believe sport is about moments in time. We have got to take ours.”