Johann van Graan's stock continues to rise
SPOTLIGHT: There is something special brewing in Bath and Johann van Graan is the mastermind.
The English club’s transformation under the South African has been sensational and Friday’s 37-12 win over Lyon in the Challenge Cup Final is evidence of this.
When Van Graan joined the club from Munster in 2022, they were at the bottom of the Premiership table and now they are one trophy away from completing a historic treble.
They lifted the Premiership Cup in March and have a league semifinal at home on June 6 in their hunt for three trophies in one season.
Van Graan’s success in England has been a topic for discussion in South Africa with fans and a few pundits believing that he could be in line for the Springbok job one day.
However, for now, Van Graan is on a ‘journey’ with Bath and he is enjoying it.
The story continues below…
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The English side lift the trophy at the Principality Stadium 🏆 pic.twitter.com/pRTv0MlcDY
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“We’ll enjoy [Friday], we’ll enjoy what this trophy represents – incredible hard work by a lot of people – and then we’ll come back on Tuesday morning and we’ll move on again,” Van Graan said after the match.
“We’re not chasing anything, we are enjoying our journey together.”
He added: “We all fight for each other.
“Everyone has pulled together, every day on the training pitch and I give credit to the leadership group and all the players.”
The English Premiership leaders played with 13 men during the first half at Cardiff’s Millenium Stadium as England flank Sam Underhill and centre Will Muir were sin-binned, Van Graan’s side managed to weather the storm.
“The performance was something that’s been building for a very long time,” said Bath captain Ben Spencer.
“To see the hunger, to see the fight of this group was unbelievable.
“The way we managed the double yellow-card period to keep them out at the end of the first half, that’s the fight and the spirit that we want to show each other.”
Sources: BBC & @RugbyPass
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