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BATH RUGBY V GLOUCESTER

ROUND 5 GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP

By Bath Rugby

October 7^th, 2022

DYSON V15 DETECT ABSOLUTE VACUUM

VISIT THATCHERS

COMPEED RECOVERY JOURNEYS: EP 1 - CHARLIE EWELS

In a brand new feature for the 2022/23 season, Compeed Recovery Journeys will focus on an individual player in the squad each month, looking at their return to fitness with the Bath Rugby medical team.

In episode one, Charlie Ewels chats through his ACL injury picked up whilst away with England in the summer and the processes involved in his recovery.

He also touches on his thoughts and feelings of having the injury as well as the decision to have shoulder surgery too.

Head of Medical Services Rory Murray provides expert insight and analysis throughout the feature, discussing how the team will work with Charlie to strengthen both his knee and shoulder.

TICKETS REMAIN ON SALE!

Limited tickets remain on sale for the first West Country derby at The Rec in 2022/23!

Bath Rugby host local rivals Gloucester in Round 5 of the Gallagher Premiership and you could be there to cheer on the Blue, Black and White!

From £15 for a junior and £45 for adult, you can experience a fantastic day out at The Rec with friends and family, taking in a brilliant derby atmosphere!

BUY YOUR TICKETS AND WE'LL SEE YOU THERE!

FOUR PLAYERS JOIN THE BLUE, BLACK AND WHITE

Earlier this week, Bath Rugby welcomed four players through the door as short-term injury dispensation cover.

Ted Hill, Ollie Lawrence, Fergus Lee Warner and Valeriy Morozov will bolster the injury-stricken Bath side.

A two-time England international with plenty of leadership experience, Hill is an all-action back row who can also play in the second row. He captained Worcester to Premiership Rugby Cup triumph last season and has featured 72 times in the Gallagher Premiership to date.

Another 23-year-old capped by England, centre Lawrence has played for his country on seven occasions, scoring his first international try last summer against USA. He was also part of Worcester’s first ever top-flight trophy win in 2021/22.

Australian Lee-Warner headed for Sixways in the summer after competing for Western Force in Super Rugby AU. At 6ft 4, the 28-year-old is second row adept at playing in the back row and topped the statistical charts for tackles and offloads after Round 2.

In a short-term spell last term, loosehead prop Morozov made 13 appearances for Bath, providing great competition, and adding value in the front row with his excellent scrummaging.

LIPMAN BACK AT THE REC AFTER 13 YEARS

Former Bath Rugby Club Captain Michael Lipman will return to The Rec this Saturday when the Blue, Black and White host West Country rivals Gloucester.

Speaking about his time at the club, as well as his early on-set dementia diagnosis which he has written about in his book Concussion, the 42-year-old will be chatting to our PA Simon Ward at half-time.

Michael will also be out and about in the fan village and Swift Half during happy hour from 13:00. If you see him, please give him a warm welcome back to The Rec!

ED SLATER AND THE 4ED CAMPAIGN

In July 2022, Gloucester Rugby player Ed Slater announced he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease at the young age of 34; the same disease as the likes of former British & Irish Lion Doddie Weir and Rugby League legend Rob Burrow.

To help raise funds for Ed, as well as our own charity Bath Rugby Foundation, our raffle has been boosted by a number of luxury prizes, including an overnight stay for two at Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa and an invitation to the President’s Lounge on a matchday.

Watch the above video to hear from Ed’s close friend and Bath Rugby player Mike Williams and how you can get involved in donating to Ed’s cause by buying raffle tickets on Saturday.

THE MULLET HAS GONE!

An end of an era. Tom Dunn's mullet is gone.

After a year of growing it, the 29-year-old finally bit the bullet and shaved it off post-training ahead of the Round 4 match against London Irish.

Whatever you may think about the style choice, it was all in aid of a fantastic cause - My Name'5 Doddie Foundation.

As part of the Doddie'5 Dodgie Mullets Crew, Dunnie rocked a dodgie mullet for 52 weeks to support the battle against MND for Doddie Weir's My Name'5 Doddie Foundation.

The experts say MND is a curable disease- it's just chronically underfunded, so your support will make a real difference to the lives of people suffering from this cruel disease and their families. Together we can end MND!

While the mullet may have gone, there is still time to donate and show your support to Dunnie and My Name'5 Doddie Foundation.

Well done, Dunnie!

PLEASE DONATE TO DUNNIE'S MY NAME'5 DODDIE FOUNDATION CAUSE

VISIT TRIBUTE

THE RECCY: YOUR SATURDAY AT THE REC

We’re back at The Rec for Round 5 of the Gallagher Premiership as the Blue, Black and White face Gloucester Rugby in the second West Country derby of the season.

We’ll be joined by special guest and ex-Bath captain, Michael Lipman, as he returns to The Rec to talk about his time at the club and his book Concussion. Attention will also be drawn to Ed Slater and the 4Ed campaign, with funds being raised for both 4Ed and Bath Rugby Foundation.

This is what you’ll find as gates open from 13:00.

Happy Hour and half-time slot with Michael Lipman
Raffle in joint aid of Ed Slater and Bath Rugby Foundation
Shop our new kit, including full range of replica shirts and training wear
Matchday ambassadors
Face painting
Fan radio
Live music
Food & beverage
Bath Rugby Supporters’ Club

Read in full what you can expect on Saturday!

YOUR RED CAR

ORLANDO BAILEY: LIVING HIS DREAM IN BLUE, BLACK AND WHITE

Orlando Bailey has learned a lot in his short career to date and has big aspirations for his career in Blue, Black and White and at international level.

THE DOUBLE HEADER WILL RETURN TO THE REC IN OCTOBER!

Bath Rugby Ladies will make their return to The Rec for the third time in just over a year as the double header returns!

John Gould’s side will take on Old Albanian Saints on Saturday 22 October (kick-off 17:30) following the men’s Gallagher Premiership match against Northampton Saints earlier in the day.

Over 5,000 people stayed behind following Bath Rugby’s league games with Saracens and Sale Sharks to see Bath Rugby Ladies in action, and they did not disappoint!

Producing some scintillating rugby, the Women’s Championship South 1 outfit scored over 120 points across the two games – events which showcased the strong ambition to grow women’s rugby in the region.

Bath Rugby Women and Girls Development Lead Maria Crowfoot said: Arming with our local amateur women’s rugby club and the continuation of the double-header is huge for women and girls’ game in our region.

“To have female players on the big stage offers an opportunity for young girls in and around Bath to see and achieve their goals of one day representing their city at The Rec.”

Bath Rugby Ladies finished third in the league last season with 16 wins from 18 games, just missing out on a place in the play-offs to OA Saints.

October’s visitors pipped Bath on points difference with both teams picking up a win against each other in the regular campaign.

“Our two matches at The Rec last season were special,” Head Coach Gould said.

“Having double-headers at The Rec means the world to our players who were extremely appreciative of the support given to them on both occasions. I’m sure supporters enjoyed the rugby they produced.

“The Rec is a fitting venue to face a team of Old Albanian Saints’ calibre and it is one we are incredibly excited for. We went toe-to-toe with each other last season at the top end of the table and we hope we will be competing up there throughout the 2022/23 campaign too.”

Tickets to Bath Rugby Ladies v Old Albanian Saints are FREE following the men’s fixture with the link to sign up for free tickets below*.

GET YOUR FREE TICKETS!

Ticket holders for Bath Rugby v Northampton Saints will not need to register and will automatically gain free access to the women’s fixture.

TICKETS ON SALE FOR BATH RUGBY V NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

"WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE TOUGH TO BEAT" - JVG

“If you score six tries away from home you should win more games than you lose.”

That’s the view of Head of Rugby Johann van Graan whose Bath Rugby side fell to a defeat at London Irish last time out despite their excellent work in attack.

The Blue, Black and White were behind by 30 points at the break before an impressive second 40 minutes which saw them earn a try bonus but lose by nine points.

The past two Gallagher Premiership matches for Bath have followed similar trends, something van Graan is keen to address.

“Looking back at the game factually, we received the ball from the first kick-off, we kept the ball for seven or eight phases before making a line break and getting turned over 10 yards from the line. We have to convert those opportunities because that was a good start.

“We then leak 35 points in a half which is unacceptable and not good enough. I can take the positive that we came back and won the second half 33-12, scoring six tries.

“We’ve got to be better. We have to be defensively more resilient; some of the tries we conceded were too soft and they got momentum too quickly.

“We have finished the past two games very strongly and if I take a step back and look at the second half results against Wasps (24-8) and London Irish (33-12), that’s a big positive but we have to play rugby for 80 minutes.

“We’ve got to keep working on that mentality to make sure we are tough to beat which we were for 40 minutes but the other 40 we weren’t.”

There aren’t many games better than a West Country derby against Gloucester to put in an 80-minute performance for The Rec faithful.

It will be van Graan’s first meeting as Bath’s Head of Rugby with the Cherry & Whites and he has laid down a challenge to his side.

“I am looking forward to it. It is the first Bath v Gloucester game I have been involved with. There is a lot of hurt from last season’s games and we have got to show there is pride in this team.

“We have had a lot of disruption in the first four weeks, but it is not about looking back it is about looking forward and I have challenged the group to perform for 80 minutes on Saturday.”

Bath Rugby secured a late win against local rivals Gloucester as Rhys Priestland slotted a 48-metre penalty in the 78th minute.

A close encounter that saw Bath secure the win in the final stages of the game at The Rec.

Despite a late try from Gloucester captain Lewis Ludlow that saw the visitors take the lead on the 75th minute, it was Rhys Priestland that finally won the game for Bath.

After winning the restart after Gloucester’s try, Bath were rewarded with a penalty which Priestland slotted between the posts to ultimately win the game for the hosts 16-14.

Bath Rugby: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Max Clark, 12 Josh Matavesi, 11 Will Muir, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Ben Spencer (c); 1 Juan Schoeman, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Christian Judge, 4 Josh Bayliss, 5 Mike Williams, 6 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Miles Reid, 8 Zach Mercer

Replacements: 16 Jack Walker, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Tom Ellis, 20 Ethan Staddon, 21 Will Chudley, 22 Tian Schoeman, 23 Jonathan Joseph

Gloucester Rugby: 15 Kyle Moyle, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Tom Seabrook, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Billy Twelvetrees, 9 Willi Heinz; 1 Val Rapava-Ruskin, 2 Henry Walker, 3 Fraser Balmain, 4 Ed Slater, 5 Alex Craig, 6 Jordy Reid, 7 Lewis Ludlow (c), 8 Ruan Ackermann

Replacements: 16 Santiago Socino, 17 Alex Seville, 18 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 19 Ollie Atkins, 20 Freddie Clarke, 21 Stephen Varney, 22 George Barton, 23 Henry Trinder

THE OPPOSITION

Gloucester finished fifth in the Premiership last season, just missing out in the play-offs by two points. They won 13 games and lost 10 in the 2021/22 Premiership and were knocked out of the Challenge Cup in the quarter-finals to Saracens.

Their 2022/23 season almost started with disappointment after conceding 21 points at home to Wasps in the first half, with no points to their own name. Despite this, the Cherry and Whites turned the game in their favour to finish the match with a bonus point win.

Away from home against Saracens, the West Country side were less fortunate. England captain Owen Farrell’s last-gasp kick won the game for the hosts with the final kick of the match, beating Gloucester 41-39.

Due to a cancelled fixture against Worcester Warriors, Gloucester’s last game was against a youthful Bath Rugby team away at The Rec in the Premiership Rugby Cup. With a side that was captained by England International, Lewis Ludlow, which also included England win Jonny May and Italy back row Jake Polledri, Gloucester beat the Blue, Black and White 29-15.

Speaking after their win, Ludlow said: ”As a club we’re looking good, we feel like we’re in a good spot as players. It’s been a bit stop start to this season which nobody wants, you want to build momentum.

“We’re ready to go and to build a bit of momentum and get a few games under our belt.”

ONE TO WATCH - LEWIS LUDLOW

A player who has quickly become synonymous with the Cherry and Whites, Gloucester captain Lewis Ludlow is a key member of their squad.

The flanker boasts some impressive stats, having finished the 2020/21 season as the Premiership’s top tackler, making 280 tackles throughout the season.

His consistency is equally impressive, with his form continuing into the following season where he finished second for tackles completed, beating his previous tally with 298 tackles. Last season Ludlow featured in 22 of their 24 Premiership games.

MEET ARTHUR GREEN

School: Sherborne

Club: Frome RFC

Position: Number 8

What have been your favourite moments in the Bath Rugby pathway?

Would definitely have to be Malvern festival last year playing in the sunshine and winning 3/3 with a great bunch of lads and having a great day out.

What are your dream goals in rugby?

My dream goals in rugby would definitely be to represent my country.

What do you get up to outside of rugby?

I love going for a coffee in Bath with some of the lads as well as a bit of cricket in the summer.

Who has had the biggest impact on your development?

I have had many coaches that have had a positive influence on my career so far which I am very grateful for. If I was going to pick one coach it would have to be Nathan Catt who worked with me through Under-18s. Through lockdown especially he kept me driven and working on my weaknesses.

What do you want people to say about you at the end of your career?

I would of course want people to talk about my rugby in a positive manner. However, it is more important that the people I come in contact with have a positive opinion on myself and think of me as a good person.

SIX ACADEMY PLAYERS ENJOY ENGLAND U18 DEVELOPMENT CAMP

Six Bath Rugby Under-18 players recently enjoyed an England Under-18 Regional Development camp.

Prop Billy Sela, back row Jack Bennett and fly-half Raff Weston (pictured), who all featured for their country at Under-18 level in South Africa in July, were all selected as well as forward George Timmins, scrum-half Ieuan Davies and centre James Short.

It was an enjoyable experience for the sextet who will hope to be involved in the next Development Camp, which will be four days, at the end of October at Bisham Abbey.

The camp will lead to a squad selected for two standalone fixtures against France and Wales followed by the U18 Six Nations Festival in Ireland.

Head of Academy Craig Lilley commented: “The camps that England Under-18 coaches Jon Pendlebury and Mark Mapletoft facilitate allow our players to explore boundaries of the game within a different context.

“It is important that they are stretched within certain parts of the season alongside their school and Academy competition programmes to help build awareness of where they currently are in comparison to other top players within their age group.”

MARAIS AND GRAHAM TO JOIN IN JANUARY

Two talented English-qualified players will join the Bath Rugby Academy in January 2023.

Daniel Marais and Luke Graham, both pupils at Paul Roos Gymnasium in South Africa, will join the Blue, Black and White in the New Year after impressing at schoolboy level.

A second row, Marais is a towering figure who began his junior rugby with Hamilton RFC, winning Junior Player of the Year, before earning the captaincy and Player of the Year at Milnerton High.

He has been a consistent figure in the Paul Roos 1st XV side for the past few seasons.

Back three player Graham grew up as a full-back but in the past year has found his niche as a right wing.

He played for Paarl Boys’ High from Under-14s to Under-16s before moving to Paul Roos in 2021 where he was the first XVs’ top try scorer this season. Graham was also recently selected for the Western Province A team.

10 ACADEMY PLAYERS HELP TEAM BATH TO VICTORY OVER LEEDS BECKETT

Ten Bath Rugby Academy players were involved for Team Bath in their first win of the 2022/23 2022-23 BUCS Super Rugby season as they beat Leeds Beckett 24-5 in Yorkshire on Wednesday afternoon.

Archie Stanley, Jasper Spandler and Archie Griffin made up the front row from the start, with Eddie Erskine and Ethan Staddon named in the second row and back row respectively.

Sam Harris was included at fly-half and Byron Lloyd-Gilmour took up a slot on the left wing while Scott Kirk, Mackenzie Graham and Murdoch Lock appeared as replacements.

Abdul-Khalik Akenzue Al Kareem started at openside flanker for Leeds Beckett.

Team Bath got off to a strong start as co-captain Tom Williams and England U20 international Spandler both scored tries from driven lineouts in the opening stages.

Lloyd-Gilmour then finished off some good wide attacking play and Alfie Garside added the conversion to put the visitors 17-0 up at half-time.

They quickly stretched that to 24-0 when Sam Mercer finished off another good move in the corner and Garside again added the extras.

Team Bath had more chances to add to their total but couldn’t take them and it was Leeds Beckett who notched the only other points when they grabbed a late consolation try.

Aaron James, Head of Rugby at the University of Bath, said: “It’s always a tough game when we come to Leeds so it’s great to get five points on the road. The defence was outstanding and I was really pleased with the level of work rate right throughout the team. We will definitely take confidence from this performance and result, and build on it.”

Next up for Team Bath is a short trip to Hartpury on Wednesday 12 October before they return to the Sports Training Village on Wednesday 19 October to face Cardiff Met (kick-off 18:30, free entry).

They then head to The Rec on Wednesday 26 October for the return of the Rengen-sponsored Anniversary Game.

TEAM BATH V DURHAM TO TAKE PLACE AT THE REC THIS OCTOBER

Team Bath Men’s 1st XV will return to The Rec for the first time in three years this month as they take on league champions Durham in the Rengen-sponsored Anniversary Game.

The last edition of the University of Bath’s student-sport showcase fixture in 2019 saw more than 6,000 spectators head to the iconic city-centre home of Bath Rugby to roar Team Bath to a 52-25 victory over Cardiff, with 11 tries scored during a hugely-entertaining evening.

Covid lockdown and scheduling conflicts prevented the match taking place during the past couple of seasons, but it will return on Wednesday 26 October (kick-off 18:30) and free tickets are now available.

A high number of Bath Rugby Academy players are set to be involved for University of Bath with a couple also potentially going to feature for Durham.

GET YOUR FREE TICKETS

BEECHEN CLIFF'S UNBEATEN RUN COMES TO AN END

After opening their season with three bonus-point wins on the bounce, Beechen Cliff lost their unbeaten record against reigning ACE League Champions Hartpury College this week.

The Bath Rugby partnership school lost 33-28 at home in front of a large crowd. The RFU ACE League pits the partner state schools or colleges of all the Premiership clubs against each other in a National League of exceptional quality. Hartpury College are affiliated to Gloucester.

The game started in dreadful conditions and the strong wind played a significant role in the game throughout. Playing against the wind in the first half Beechen were under pressure from the start and struggled to exit. Eventually the pressure told and Hartpury opened the scoring. Not long after, they doubled their advantage. Beechen did well to get back into the game while fighting the elements. A Billy Sela brace from close range got the Bath team back into the contest, but unfortunately Hartpury scored again just before the break.

The second half became a war of attrition between two well-drilled and robust defences. No.8 (and Player of the Match) Kacey Pike brought his customary physicality to the game having just returned to the team from a long-term injury. Fly-half Raff Weston exploited the conditions well and created numerous opportunities for the Beechen Cliff line-out maul. Although they scored two good tries from this, lack of accuracy in execution meant that other chances were wasted. In fairness, Hartpury’s excellent line-out defence was a thorn in Beechen Cliff’s side throughout the game.

As the game neared the close, Hartpury broke free to score two good tries. Beechen had chances to win the game at the death, but frustratingly were unable to convert their pressure into points. At the final whistle Beechen Cliff were left ruing missed opportunities and had to be content with two losing bonus points, which at least keeps them at the top of the league, despite the loss. In all likelihood, these two teams will meet again in the later stages of the competition and, if nothing else, Beechen Cliff will reflect that if they take their chances better in the return game, a victory can definitely be achieved.

Next week, the team are on the road again, this time visiting Bishop Wand School in Sunbury, who are the London Irish partner school.

DRAW YOUR TEAMMATE: SAM UNDERHILL & WILL STUART

Bath Rugby and England international duo Sam Underhill and Will Stuart put pen to paper in an attempt to draw each other! Maybe stick to rugby lads...

THE BATH HALF IS FAST APPROACHING!

Who we are We’re a charity that helps young people who need all kinds of emotional, practical, and physical support - but don’t get it.

What we do We put our hearts and souls into helping any challenged young person stop feeling judged, crushed, or underestimated and start feeling self-assured, hopeful, and happy.

How we do it We re-ignite confidence and self-worth in young people and give them the life skills and opportunities to not only survive but to thrive in the world.

Where we do it Every year we change the lives of thousands of young people by being active in their communities, schools or at our home at the Rec.

VOLUNTEER TODAY

The Bath Half is fast approaching where 150 dedicated runners will be taking to the streets of Bath to run and raise funds for our charity, Bath Rugby Foundation.

Each year, we help over 4,000 children and young people improve their lives. The Foundation’s work has never been more important following the isolation felt during the pandemic. We want to continue to change as many young lives as possible.

Bath Half is a way for the Bath community to come together; whether it’s to chase a personal best, to prove individual fitness or to raise money for a charity close to home. The Bath Half is a way to make a difference in the heart of Bath. For Bath Rugby Foundation to be part of the fundraising efforts, it is a true testament to the people of Bath and their community spirit.

We have a long list of fantastic runners who have dedicated their time and energy to our cause, including ex-Bath Rugby and England international Simon Halliday.

Having last competed in the Bath Half in 2006, Simon will be hitting the road again at the age of 62 for one very last shot at the race.

An avid supporter of the Bath Rugby Foundation, Simon feels very strongly about the cause for which he and 150 other Foundation fundraisers will be running for.

“Many young people are suffering huge disadvantages in life and the pandemic made things even more difficult,” he said.

“The work being done by Bath Rugby Foundation, ranging from providing food provisions during half-term, training and mentoring programmes for vulnerable children, and giving young people once in a lifetime experiences is exceptional.

“I owe so much to this great city and its people; my rugby memories are unforgettable, and it is simply one of the most beautiful settings in the world. It’s time for me to give something back.”

All of the money Simon raises through his 13.1 mile run will go directly to the Bath Rugby Foundation so we can continue to change young lives in the B&NES area.

If you want to support Simon’s run by donating to his cause, please follow the link below.

DONATE TODAY

WELCOME BACK FROM BRSC

Back at The Rec for what seems like a plethora of home games since the start of the season, and whilst not yet getting the results we would have wished for, we are beginning to see improved performances for periods of the game.

Scoring is not the issue this season, however we are still leaking points and poor discipline is letting us down.

Try of the Month will be returning very shortly, and for a change, we have no shortage of tries from which to pick. This season we have revamped Try of the Month which will now be hosted on our refreshed website.

BRSC Members who vote and choose the winning try, will go into a draw for a £25 Gift Token. Our first token will be for use in the Bath Rugby Shop (subsequent tokens will be for use in a variety of businesses).

We hope to open the voting within the next few days, and you can take a sneak preview of the tries on our website. Non-BRSC Members are also welcome to vote. However, only members will be eligible for entry to the draw for the Gift Token. Full details for Try of the Month and how to join BRSC are on our website at allez-bath.co.uk.

We are very close to formalising a couple of very exciting events and we hope to bring positive news to our members very soon. The first free to Members event will be An Evening with…, two recently retired senior and very popular players. We also hope to be able to confirm dates for our annual Charity quiz and the ever popular Ask the Ref.

BRSC is currently creating a charity lottery that will hopefully be launched in December 2022 or January 2023. Some of the prizes include a guided tour of the Bath Rugby training facilities at Farleigh House, a hospitality package for two in The President's Lounge at The Rec and signed Bath Rugby shirts. We are waiting for the necessary licence from B&NES before we can proceed with the launch.

BRSC gives feedback from our members to Bath Rugby. We recently forwarded a suggestion regarding accessing the digital programme via QR codes, which would be displayed at various positions around the ground. We are delighted to confirm that Bath Rugby has agreed to the suggestion and intends to implement the scheme, in the near future.

Another member recently drew our attention to the poor behaviour of some spectators - we again fed this back to the club. We would like to remind BRSC members that you should report any anti-social behaviour to the stewards on duty, who will do their best to resolve the situation. Bath Rugby also has a matchday hotline ('SEE IT, HEAR IT, REPORT IT') that supporters can also use to report, by text, any anti-social behaviour.

This number is: 07979 181865

BRSC COMMITTEE VACANCY - We currently have a vacancy for a Committee Member and are looking for a volunteer to fill the position. If you would like more information about joining the Committee please contact us via the Chairman, on the following email Chairman@allez-bath.co.uk