Van Graan adds big name to Bath's coaching team
TRANSFER NEWS: Bath announced that former Wasps head coach Lee Blackett will join the club as an assistant coach.
Seen as one of the most innovative coaches in the United Kingdom, the 40-year-old is a highly respected coach whose experience spans over a decade.
Following a playing career which saw him feature for Fylde, Leeds Tykes and Rotherham Titans, Blackett returned to the latter in 2012 as a player-coach before being appointed the youngest Head Coach in the top two tiers of English rugby a year later.
During his time at the South Yorkshire club, he aided the team’s progression to the Championship playoffs in consecutive campaigns and saw them reach the latter stages of the British & Irish Cup – both achievements were firsts in the club’s near 100-year history.
The former England Counties back earned an opportunity to become Attack Coach in the Premiership with Wasps in the summer of 2015 and in his first season, his attack saw them score a regular season-high number of tries (71) as they reached the play-offs for the first time in eight years.
A year later, Blackett’s attack aided Wasps’ route to the Premiership final with a first-place finish and another emphatic record try total of 89. In his fifth year in Coventry, Blackett was promoted to the position of Head Coach, guiding them to an unlikely Premiership final during the 2019/20 season.
His seven-and-a-half years at Wasps came to a sad end in October 2022 and a new opportunity as Backs and Skills Coach at United Rugby Championship outfit Scarlets arose which saw them reach the last four of the Challenge Cup.
Blackett will begin his time with the Blue, Black and White in pre-season as the team builds towards 2023/24.
He said: “To have the opportunity to work with Johann, the rest of the coaching team and a talented playing group, as well as return to the Premiership, is very exciting for me.
“Bath is a club with rich history, fantastic support and has the infrastructure in place to be successful.
“I look forward to working with a team that has the potential to compete and challenge at the top end of the league.”
Head of Rugby Johann van Graan added: “In the times I have coached against Lee for Munster and Bath, I have been very impressed with him as a person and as a leader; he will complement our coaching team and club very well.
“He has Head Coach experience and a fantastic rugby IQ. During his career he has improved the abilities of world-class players and we are excited for him to help develop our squad and game in Year 2 of our journey.”
