Bath confirm six injured players will miss start of Premiership

New Bath head of medical services Rory Murray has issued a lengthy squad injury update at the end of the Gallagher Premiership club’s third week of pre-season. It confirmed that six players will miss the start of the new Premiership season away to Bristol – Murray’s old club – next month, but six others who have been on the casualty list are expected to be available for selection. 

Johann van Graan, the new Bath head of rugby who has joined from Munster, explained last week in his first interview as the boss at The Rec that clearing out the casualty ward and getting to the bottom of the injury issue was a priority at the club that finished bottom of the 2021/22 Premiership. 

“We have a big injury rate, something we will work very hard to get down,” he insisted. “One of the successes of the Premiership structure is you want to have your best players on the pitch.

“We want to make sure we look after them and condition them to the highest level humanly possible and hopefully that will result in fewer players getting injured.”

Van Graan promised that an updated injury list would be confirmed at the back end of this week and he has been true to his word with medical boss Murray giving a detailed rundown on the current state of play: 

Six players who will miss the opening round of the Gallagher Premiership
Tom Ellis
Tom had shoulder surgery in March and will miss round one of the Premiership season. He will return shortly afterwards and may feature in the Premiership Rugby Cup.

Charlie Ewels
Charlie sustained a knee injury whilst on international duty. He has had surgery and will rehabilitate at the club.

Ruaridh McConnochie
Similar to Tom, Ruaridh is making good progress with his rehabilitation and may feature in the Premiership Rugby Cup. 

D’Arcy Rae
D’Arcy had surgery before the culmination of last season. He will return to action in October with Aranos Coetzee brought in as injury cover. 

Mike Williams
Mike had surgery on a pre-existing knee injury carried over from last season. He will miss the first couple of weeks of the new season and is set to return in October. 

Max Wright
Max returned from his loan with Newcastle Falcons with an injury which needed surgery. He is expected back at the end of October.

Players who have returned to full fitness
Josh Bayliss, Will Butt, Richard de Carpentier, Josh McNally. Cameron Redpath and Will Spencer will return to training in August and will be available for the pre-season matches against Coventry and Jersey Reds.