Johann van Graan said there is ‘all to play for’ for his Bath Rugby side heading to Leinster on Saturday after the English side got off the mark in the 2024/25 Investec Champions Cup with a 40-21 win against ASM Clermont Auvergne on Sunday. In what was a vital game for the Blue, Black and white, they scored six tries against the French side to collect all five points and give themselves every opportunity to reach the knockout stages of the Champions Cup.
Two tries for man-of-the-match Thomas du Toit, as well as scores from Finn Russell, Joe Cokanasiga and Ollie Lawrence meant the home side were able to get to 40 points and jump up to third in Pool Two before next week’s huge clash against already qualified Leinster at the Aviva Stadium, with multiple scenarios possible in regards to qualification for four of the five teams in the group.
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Clermont kept themselves in the game with some fast-flowing and lovely attacking rugby in the first 40, but as a result of a red card for prop Giorgi Akhaladze after just 24 minutes, they ran out of steam in the second half as Bath took control of the game.
Speaking post-match, Van Graan spoke about next week’s huge game in Ireland, and the implications that come with next week’s action.
“I haven’t given that a whole lot of thought,” the South African started by saying. “What I do know is we’re on seven points, same as Benetton, and Bristol and Clermont are on five, if I’m not mistaken? So they play each other, and then obviously La Rochelle and Benetton play each other in Italy, so all to play for. I think that’s why this competition is great, round four.
“You can make two choices, you can speak about how good Leinster are because they’re a phenomenal side, or you can just focus on yourself as we’ve been doing for the last two and a half years and enjoy the week. I’ve had some fun moments in the Aviva, some big disappointments and what a great place to go and play against one of the best teams in world rugby, certainly from a club side point of view.”
“It is a massive task. They are sitting way in front in the United Rugby Championship, and they are in front in our pool, and we are in front in the Premiership.”
Van Graan added: “This is not the defining moment of our season. Even this week, we didn’t speak about this as a knockout game.
“We have given ourselves a chance, and if we are good enough, then we are good enough. It is some task to go and beat Leinster in the Aviva, but then you have got to ask yourself why not? It is a game of rugby between two very good sides.”
The stand-out performances from both Du Toit and Max Ojomoh against the French side were something Van Graan was extremely pleased with: “[Du Toit] turns up for every week and he’s been fantastic in a team environment. I think the most impressive thing that he’s done is he’s made Bath his home. The best signings that I’ve made both in Ireland and in England are guys that throw themselves totally into the club I can’t speak highly enough of him.
“And Max, he’s been good the last three weekends. He took that really nasty injury in pre-season, he was out for a very long time. Sometimes you just need a run of games, it takes some time to get into your flow. But I thought he was very good tonight.”
But with the mammoth game of Leinster coming up next week and Bath’s qualification into the knockout stages riding on that, along with results from other games, there are a lot of decisions that need to be made by the South African in terms of selection.
“I spent this morning doing some critical thinking. It’s a relentless block of games, arguably one of the more tougher months that I faced as a coach with Northampton away, Clermont at home, Leinster away, and then Sale away afterwards.
“But that is why you have got to love it, and you have got to love what you do, and we as a group are looking forward to it,” concluded Van Graan.