Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Johann van Graan hails ‘two world-class number 13s’ as Bath edge Bristol

By PA
Ollie Lawrence of Bath Rugby passes the ball during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Bath Rugby and Bristol Bears Rugby at The Recreation Ground on November 17, 2023 in Bath, England. (Photo by Patrick Khachfe/Getty Images)

Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan admitted he breathed a sigh of relief at his side’s narrow 20-19 Gallagher Premiership victory over neighbours Bristol but was just as quick to praise “two world-class number 13s”.

ADVERTISEMENT

Bath’s England centre Ollie Lawrence took the player of the match award for a hungry, virtuoso display but Fijian-born Virimi Vakatawa was just as impressive in the Bristol back line in front of a capacity crowd at the Recreation Ground.

Asked about Lawrence’s form since returning from the World Cup, van Graan said: “I thought he was excellent. We had a good set-piece base to attack from in the first half. Obviously, we did our homework on them and they did the same to us so both teams found momentum.

Video Spacer
Video Spacer

“We put Ollie through a few holes and the try straight from the kick-off was a brilliant team effort.”

Van Graan added: “I coached against Vakatawa when I was with South Africa and he with France. Every time I see his name on the opposition team sheet I think: what a quality player!

“It was a real positive for the Premiership if you look at the quality on both sides and two number 13s. We are not speaking about decisions or 50-50s, we’re talking about two world-class number 13s that had a real go at each other. Both were brilliant tonight.”

On his team’s performance, van Graan added: “We spoke this week about mastering the basics and in the last three minutes we were really clinical. We had to defend the maul, defend the scrum, win our own ball on the scrum. We had to win a line-out, execute the kick and keep our discipline because one penalty gives it away so it was a real sign of growth to us.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Last season we lost seven games by one score. We were on the wrong end of it here against Leicester recently with a last-minute decision so I’ll take it as a real sign of growth for us as a group.”

Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam said: “We started really well, scored and then gave possession away. They came at us and had a real purple patch from our own errors and missed tackles and at 17-7 they were on fire. We just had to stop their momentum.

“We then had some clear chances to score points before half-time and we blew those. We spoke about it and said we needed to score next. We had a few chances and finally got over and scored again. It could have gone any way at the end there.”

Lam added: “What I am proud about is that the boys kept fighting and hanging in there. If we do that, it will come. We lost by just one point and you have to ask yourself: did the game plan give us opportunities? We just didn’t take those points.

ADVERTISEMENT

“You can look at the (refereeing) calls – and Callum (Sheedy) has failed his HIA – but I ask myself: did we have opportunities to win? Yes, we did. All of the last four games, we could have easily won them if we had taken our chances, so we keep working at that.

“There were a lot of positive performances from guys which will stand us in good stead. I know there is doom and gloom outside (the club) about results but we know that they could easily be the other way round. It’s fine margins.

“What I love is that in every game the boys are fighting and showing lots of effort. We have got Sarries (Saracens) next week so we are straight back in. It helps focus us.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Wolfhounds vs Gwalia | Celtic Challenge 2024/25 | Match Highlights

Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

O2 Inside Line: This Rose | Episode 2 | Ireland Week

New Zealand vs Australia: Behind the Scenes with the Black Ferns Sevens Team | HSBC SVNS Embedded | E06

O2 Inside Line: This Rose | Episode 1

Argentina v Australia | HSBC SVNS Perth 2025 | Men's Final Match Highlights

The Dupont Ploy: How France went from underdogs to Olympic gods | The Report

Former rugby player is truly an NFL superstar | Walk the Talk | Jordan Mailata

Boks Office | Episode 33 | Dupont's Toulouse Too Good

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

N
Nategift2312 16 minutes ago
Wales slump to record low in world rankings

i want to share to the whole world how Dr masako the Great of all the Spell Caster, that helped me reunite my marriage back, my Ex Husband broke up with me 3months ago, I have been trying to get him back ever since then, i was worried and so confused because i love him so much. I was really going too depressed, he left me with my kids and just ignored me constantly. I have begged him for forgiveness through text messages for him to come back home and the kids crying and miss their dad but he wont reply, I wanted him back desperately. we were in a very good couple and yet he just ignores me and get on with his life just like that, so i was looking for help after reading a post of Dr masako on the internet when i saw a lady name SHARRON testified that Dr masako cast a Pure love spell to stop divorce. and i also met with other, it was about how he brought back her Ex lover in less than 24 hours at the end of her testimony she dropped his email, I contacted Dr masako via email and explained my problem to Dr masako and he told me what went wrong with my husband and how it happen, that he will restored my marriage back, and to my greatest surprise my Ex husband came back to me, and he apologized for his mistake, and for the pain he caused me and my children. Then from that day our marriage is now stronger than how it was before, Dr masako you’re a real spell caster, you can also get your Ex back and live with him happily: Contact Email doctormasako@gmail.com or Call/whatsapp +2349047144277

 

0 Go to comments
N
Nategift2312 16 minutes ago
Wales slump to record low in world rankings

i want to share to the whole world how Dr masako the Great of all the Spell Caster, that helped me reunite my marriage back, my Ex Husband broke up with me 3months ago, I have been trying to get him back ever since then, i was worried and so confused because i love him so much. I was really going too depressed, he left me with my kids and just ignored me constantly. I have begged him for forgiveness through text messages for him to come back home and the kids crying and miss their dad but he wont reply, I wanted him back desperately. we were in a very good couple and yet he just ignores me and get on with his life just like that, so i was looking for help after reading a post of Dr masako on the internet when i saw a lady name SHARRON testified that Dr masako cast a Pure love spell to stop divorce. and i also met with other, it was about how he brought back her Ex lover in less than 24 hours at the end of her testimony she dropped his email, I contacted Dr masako via email and explained my problem to Dr masako and he told me what went wrong with my husband and how it happen, that he will restored my marriage back, and to my greatest surprise my Ex husband came back to me, and he apologized for his mistake, and for the pain he caused me and my children. Then from that day our marriage is now stronger than how it was before, Dr masako you’re a real spell caster, you can also get your Ex back and live with him happily: Contact Email doctormasako@gmail.com or Call/whatsapp +2349047144277 Visit his Website:  https://doctormasako2.wixsite.com/drmasakospelltemple  

 

0 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ From an uncertain position, Barrett and McKenzie are the All Blacks' key playmakers From an uncertain position, Barrett and McKenzie are the All Blacks' key playmakers
Search