Johann van Graan: Bath are embracing challenge of Prem and European Cup

Bath are relishing the challenge of fighting on two fronts in the Champions Cup and Prem says head of rugby Johann van Graan.

The reigning Prem champions go into the final weeks of the season second in the league table and having reached the semi-finals of the European competition for the first time in 20 years.

“For us we see it as a massive positive,” Van Graan told BBC Radio Bristol.

“I know on the outside [there are] a lot of questions being in both competitions but ultimately we want to play in as many games as possible.”

Bath’s squad depth and the way they rotate players in and out of the matchday team has been a major part of their success under Van Graan.

Last season they won the Prem Rugby Cup, European Challenge Cup and a first Prem title for 27 years in a historic treble, but this season hope to go one further and add a first Champions Cup victory since 1998.

Yet their progress in Europe means over the next five weeks they have no let-up in fixtures.

They host Harlequins on Saturday (17:30 BST) and a week later face Northampton away – who they beat in a Champions Cup quarter-final thriller last weekend – in a top of the table clash in the Prem.

They then travel Bordeaux Begles on 3 May for their European final four match before the Prem returns seven days later with back-to-back games away at Exeter and at home to Newcastle.

“It’s great for us to be in this position, it’s a position that we want to embrace,” Van Graan said.

“Every game is important, we’re going to keep using our squad across the last number of weeks but that shouldn’t be a surprise because we’ve done that across the last four years.”