It's official: Johann van Graan is No.1

SPOTLIGHT: Johann van Graan has been rewarded for transforming Bath’s fortunes.

The South African was named the Director of Rugby of the Season in England.

Bath find themselves trying to complete a treble by winning the Premiership, having already claimed the Premiership Rugby Cup and Challenge Cup.

Van Graan’s side finished the league phase of the Premiership on top of the standings with 14 wins from their 18 matches and 11 points clear of second-placed Leicester Tigers.

Bath will host Bristol in their semifinal on Friday.

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What a season for this man 🤩@BathRugby’s Johann van Graan takes #TheRugbyAwards title for big boss of the season!#GallagherPrem @London_Pride

— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) June 3, 2025

“This is all for the team and the team starts with Bruce [Craig] the owner, who has had an incredible dream for the club, the board that appointed me and believes in the plan that I had and backed it,” said Van Graan.

“I’ve got incredible staff, particularly our heads of department, they are all world-class in what they do, but also world-class people.

“And then all the general staff and the players. Rugby is about players and then the coaches coaching those players.

“I am part of a group, I’m the leader of the group but we are part of the ultimate team game, one of the last gladiator sports remaining and what a privilege it is to be involved.”

Asked to sum up his approach to coaching, Van Graan paid tribute to the players and the way they have bought into his vision for the club.

He added: “Firstly, we give clarity, we make sure we are consistent with the clarity.

“People don’t want to be told to, they want to belong to. People clearly want to belong to the club, we have an incredible supporter base and 99.9 percent of players I have coached want to get better, not only as players in their craft but also as people.

“We have created an environment that people want to be part of. It’s evident that people get better in our environment, that is something that I and we are very proud of.”

*In other awards, Gloucester scrumhalf Tomos Williams was crowned Premiership Player of the Season, while Northampton’s Henry Pollock received the Breakthrough Player of the Year award.

Tommy Freeman, who will join Pollock and Williams in Australia for the British and Irish Lions tour, was named as England’s best men’s player.

Freeman became the first England player to score in each round of the Six Nations in 2025.

Full list of award winners:

Premiership Player of the Season: Tomos Williams (Gloucester)
Breakthrough Player of the Season: Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)
Director of Rugby of the Season: Johann van Graan (Bath)
Community Player of the Season: Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
Premiership Top Try-Scorer: Ollie Hassell-Collins (Leicester Tigers) & Gabriel Ibitoye (Bristol Bears) – 13

PWR Player of the Season: Meg Jones (Leicester Tigers)
PWR Breakthrough Player of the Season: Millie David (Bristol Bears)
PWR Director of Rugby of the Season: Sean Lynn (Gloucester Hartpury)
PWR Top Try-Scorer: May Campbell (Saracens) & Millie David (Bristol Bears) – 16

England Men’s Player of the Season: Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
England Women’s Player of the Season: Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester Hartpury)
RPA Gain Line Award: Josh Bassett (Leicester Tigers), Josh Caulfield (Bristol Bears), Harry Glover (Great Britain Sevens), Harry Thacker & Jake Woolmore (Bristol Bears)
The RPA Blyth Spirit Award: Taylor Gough