Van Graan has no regrets, despite costly loss
REACTION: Johann van Graan insisted he had no qualms about fielding a second-string team after a 22-35 loss at Leicester meant Bath missed the chance to end 2023 top of the English Premiership table.
The Bath boss opted to rest several first-choice players – including Ollie Lawrence, Scotland flyhalf Finn Russell, regular captain Ben Spencer and Beno Obano on Sunday ahead of next week’s southwest derby against Gloucester.
A defeat without a bonus point meant Bath remained fourth in the table, still just two points behind leaders Northampton.
Leicester took advantage against their under-strength opponents to score five tries, with Matt Rogerson, Mike Brown, George Martin and James Cronin all crossing the Bath line.
South Africa’s World Cup-winner Handre Pollard landed four conversions and the Tigers were also awarded a penalty try.
Bath was in danger of being routed but late tries by replacements Louie Hennessey and Ewan Richards, after Louis Schreuder’s early score, helped reduce the deficit.
Orlando Bailey kicked a penalty and a conversion, with Sam Harris also adding a conversion.
“I’ve no regrets about my decision as we’ve had 18 games in 17 weeks and I’ve rotated my squad from the opening game of the season,” said Van Graan.
“There are several teams in all of the European competitions that rotate their squad so we are no different.”
Victory saw Leicester move up to seventh in the 10-team table, with coach Dan McKellar saying: “I was surprised by Bath’s selection as a lot of people would have loved to see Finn Russell here but Johann (van Graan) is a very experienced coach and knows what he’s doing and they were still a quality side.”
He added: “We needed the win to stay in touch in the league table and it’s important that we keep winning and build momentum.”
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Bath, in a match between the two sides that dominated the English club game for much of the 1980s and 1990s, went ahead inside four minutes when Schreuder intercepted a Pollard pass intended for England’s Freddie Steward and ran 50 metres for a try.
Leicester equalised when their attacking line-out yielded a try for Rogerson.
They then went ahead when England fullback Brown crossed after a fine pass from Tom Whiteley.
Bath was reduced to 14 men when captain GJ van Velze was sin-binned on the half-hour, with Leicester capitalising when Cronin powered over from close range.
And three minutes later the Tigers had their bonus-point try when several forward drives eventually led to a score for Martin.
Pollard kicked his fourth conversion before Bailey’s penalty reduced Leicester’s lead to 28-10 at the break.
Bath had their full XV on the field again when Van Velze returned shortly after half-time.
But three minutes later they conceded a penalty try, with Jaco Coetzee sin-binned after collapsing a Leicester line-out drive.
Leicester now felt able to replace international forwards Martin, Tommy Reffell, Jasper Wiese and Julian Montoya and that helped Bath narrow the gap late on through tries from Hennessey and Richards.
