Johann van Graan: Bath boss says ‘only pressure is internal’

Bath are not letting pressure to win a trophy affect them as they go into the new Premiership campaign, says head of rugby Johann van Graan.

Bath finished runners-up to Northampton in last season’s final at Twickenham in a rollercoaster match that saw them come from behind with 14 men to almost clinch victory in the final play of the game.

The club have not won a league trophy since 1996 and begin the new season with a reunion against Saints at the Recreation Ground on Friday.

“Obviously we want to win a trophy. We’ve never said that we don’t want to. But we are not in the [business of] predicting when this will happen,” Van Graan told BBC Radio Somerset.

“Hopefully it happens sooner rather than later and us as a group have tasted it – we were literally one play away from winning it and there’s no guarantee you’ll get back there again.”

The 2024-25 campaign is Van Graan’s third at the helm with the club progressing rapidly since he took over.

Most of the squad from last season has been retained and the South African hopes the continuity across the staff and playing squad continues the upward trajectory this season.

Lock Ross Molony and back row Guy Pepper are among just four new arrivals.

“In terms of pressure, Bath haven’t won a trophy for a very long time. The only pressure we have is the pressure that we have internally – we want to be part of something special,” Van Graan said.

“But what sport teaches you is if you win a game it doesn’t mean that you’re successful, and if you lose a game it doesn’t mean you’re unsuccessful.”