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BATH RUGBY V Gloucester Rugby

By Bath Rugby

September 21^st, 2020

STUART HOOPER: WELCOME

Welcome back to the Rec

And welcome to the 1,000 supporters we have here as part of the government’s plan to return spectators to sporting events!

We come into this match refreshed after a well-deserved brief break and, more importantly, after a brilliant win over Sale Sharks at the AJ Bell – our first win up there for five seasons.

It was a significant score. Not just getting the win – getting the bonus point try and coming back with five points. Sale have put in some big performances since lockdown and their intentions have been quite clear.

So have ours. We are focused on the top four and ensuring we give ourselves the chance of winning the championship.

Back at the Rec, we have a big match against our West Country rivals Gloucester, and a win will help us consolidate that top four finish.

The lads have shown their strength and resilience since restart. During lockdown they were amazing. They worked incredibly hard and it blew us away, as coaches. Everything is different now – there are so many rules, regulations and restrictions off the pitch so when they run out here, that is their moment of freedom and chance to go and play.

As a coaching group, we want them to play with that freedom against Gloucester. It is always a huge match and great derby – of course we normally have a real atmosphere with dedicated supporters in full voice on both sides.

We are absolutely thrilled to have 1,000 of you with us. It marks another step towards full stadiums and the support we have from the Blue, Black and White will be invaluable.

We’ll play for you as much as the lads will all be out there playing for each other, aiming for another big performance and five more points.

We know you’re behind us all the way.

We hope you enjoy the match.

Cheers,

Hoops

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CHARLIE EWELS: WELCOME

Hello everyone

It’s always good coming back to the Rec – even more so after a physical away game and a great result. And even more so when we have 1,000 Blue, Black and White supporters here with us!

We knew Sale Sharks would be difficult opposition. The AJ Bell is a tough place to win at regardless, and Sale’s form has showcased a team as hungry for that top four finish as we are.

We stuck to our game plan, empowered our pack and enabled our backs to create opportunities to cross the whitewash. We’re thrilled to come away with five points and fired up to be back at the Rec and ready to go again.

And we welcome Gloucester today, our West Country rivals. This derby is always a great event and we are absolutely thrilled to have a small number of supporters here. Usually there would be nearly 14,000 supporters from both sides in full voice – we’re grateful to have a small percentage of that.

But whether or not we have Blue, Black and White versus Cherry and White voices in full force, the local derby is always a hugely competitive fixture. This one feels even bigger. With just two matches to go until the rounds finish, we have the top four within our grasp and two more pushes will see us into the play-offs.

This is of course our aim. But as ever, we’ll concentrate on the job in hand and enjoying running out on the Rec again, putting in another big shift and playing for each other – and for you.

We hope you enjoy the match!

Cheers,

Charlie

IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK!

We are thrilled to have 1,000 of our Season Ticket Holders back at the Rec for the Round 21 fixture against Gloucester Rugby.

Staff from across the Club have been working tirelessly behind-the-scenes to bring our supporters back safely, with social distancing ensured.

The Club put forward a detailed submission to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which was confirmed as successful after assessment by both DCMS and Premiership Rugby.

This will be the second time the Bath Rugby team play in front of a limited crowd, after Harlequins hosted the first successful rugby union pilot in England and the Blue, Black and White came away with a 27-41 win.

Bath Rugby Chief Executive Tarquin McDonald said: “We are privileged to be playing a significant role in the path towards returning spectators to grounds across the country and not just bringing the joy and excitement of live sport back into people’s lives, but also working towards the larger crowds that are crucial to the sustainability of clubs following the financial impact of COVID-19. The safety of our supporters, players and staff is paramount as we look forward to welcoming our loyal Blue, Black and White back.”

Director of Rugby Stuart Hooper added: “It will be great to have supporters back, and it’s hugely exciting to be playing in front of a small crowd at the Rec. It is particularly special that our supporters will be back for a local derby against Gloucester Rugby. We couldn’t have wished for a better fixture to have our Blue, Black and White supporters back at the Rec.”

FIND OUT MORE HERE

CALLING JUNIOR BATH RUGBY SUPPORTERS - WE NEED YOUR HELP!

We are starting an exciting research project and are searching for Junior Supporters to take part. If you are between 8 and 13 years old, we would love for you to take part and help shape the future of the Blue, Black and White.

Over the past few months, Bath Rugby have launched the online Kids’ Zone, which features targeted content for this age range. To help us evolve our junior offering (both digital and experiential), we are looking to speak to the next generation of players and supporters – capturing your thoughts feedback and recommendations. Creating a destination for our Junior Supporters and making you feel part of Bath Rugby is of huge important to everybody at the Club and this project will help shape the future.

Whether it’s funny interviews with our England Internationals, coaching tips from Director of Rugby, Stuart Hooper, time-filling activity sheets or interesting child-friendly quizzes, we want to know what you are looking for from us at Bath Rugby.

FIND OUT MORE HERE

SUPPORT THE BATH RUGBY FOUNDATION AND THATCHERS FOUNDATION - AND WIN A PIECE OF BATH RUGBY HISTORY!

Bath Rugby and Thatchers Cider have gone back to their roots with a collaboration that will continue to bear fruit in the heart of cider country – and you can win a taste of Bath Rugby history. The two organisations – both synonymous with the West Country – have created a unique Farleigh Cider pressed from apples grown pitchside at Farleigh House. Once pressed, expertly crafted and bottled by Thatchers, the one-of-a-kind Farleigh Cider was delivered back to Farleigh House for players to take part in a labelling and signing session. Each member of the Bath Rugby squad has signed a bottle of Farleigh Cider.

Each bottle – a very special piece of Bath Rugby and Thatchers history – can be won through a charity raffle in aid of the Bath Rugby Foundation and the Thatchers Foundation, both of which support local communities throughout Somerset.

The Farleigh apple trees were planted in 2011 and last autumn, the Farleigh House orchard produced apples which were picked by Bath Rugby players under the watchful eye of Thatchers’ farm manager Chris Muntz-Torres.

Bath Rugby captain Charlie Ewels said: “We’re all very proud of our partnership with such an iconic West Country brand and I can attest Farleigh Cider really is a very special drink. I’d like to encourage all of our supporters to support the raffle and help raise funds for two hugely deserving causes.”

Thatchers head cidermaker, Richard Johnson, who blended the Farleigh Cider and invited some of the squad to Myrtle Farm for a tasting, said: “At 5.5% abv, Farleigh Cider is a fantastic union of varieties. Like a scrum, the apples used blend strength and guile and all have their unique contribution. Pour this cider into your favourite cup and let it tackle your taste buds!”

YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE

RUARIDH MCCONNOCHIE NOMINATED FOR GALLAGHER COMMUNITY PLAYER OF THE YEAR

With the annual Premiership Rugby Awards – which this year will take place virtually – on the horizon, Bath Rugby's very own Ruaridh McConnochie is in the running for Gallagher Community Player of the Year.

Ruaridh’s contribution to two key causes – confidential text service Give Us A Shout and Macmillan fundraiser #BraveTheShave – led to his nomination for the award, which will be judged by an independent panel.

He has been involved for two years with the confidential text service Give Us A Shout, which aims to help people in crisis.

He says: “As rugby players, we’re lucky to have a bit of free time – why not help some people if we can? Give Us A Shout helps people who are in a crisis via the text unit online. We try to be that open non-judgmental space for people to text in. There’s a lot of anxiety around lockdown with people uncertain about their jobs and their futures so it was good to be there and be a sounding board.

“It is pretty powerful to be a person they can talk to in a moment of crisis. And because I can do it from a laptop wherever I am, I can keep contributing and keep committing to Give Us A Shout and the people who need that support.”

Early on during lockdown, Ruaridh entrusted the clippers to housemate and fellow Bath Rugby 1st team member Max Clark to #BravetheShave and raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Ruaridh says: “Brave the Shave was brought to my attention by AJ Davis who I played 7s with for three years. He’s done a lot of work with cancer charities over his time and with the crisis hitting the NHS we thought what better thing to do than to try and raise some money for that. To be able to raise £30,000 for the NHS was awesome and all it was was shaving our heads, so it wasn’t that big a deal! But to get that awareness out there was awesome.”

“We’re in a very lucky place as rugby players to have quite a bit of time on our hands. I think it’s great to be able to give back when we can. You can’t do it all the time, a lot of the time we are thinking about rugby and trying to do our best for Bath but I think when we can give back it’s really important to do so.”

Everyone in the Bath Rugby family is hugely proud – best of luck Ruaridh!

BATH RUGBY POWER UP WITH BENDAC GROUP

Bath Rugby are pleased to appoint Bendac Group as the Official Technical AV and Digital Display Supplier of the Club following the installation of Bendac LED display technology at Farleigh House.

With the challenges of Covid-19 and returning to training safely, Bendac have installed advanced display technology to assist the coaching staff with training. The Dura LED panels enable Bath Rugby to run video analysis and pitch-side formation reviews for the playing group, which also enables team meetings to be held outside – avoiding restrictions on meetings indoors.

Bath Rugby’s Head Performance Analyst Dan Cooper gave his insight into the teams’ use of the screen and how it has benefited his team of analysts, saying: “The screen has been a useful addition to our match preparation by enabling us to learn in the moment and continue to conduct our analysis in a safe, socially distanced environment. The pure size of the screen means that we no longer have to leave the pitch environment to take in video feedback. This has been a great benefit to us, as it keeps the flow and momentum of a session intact.”

Stuart Hooper added: “Going forward, we’ll continue to use the screen to support preview and review meetings, presentations to the squad, instant video analysis of set plays and tactics, and to help create mock in-game situations that support our scenario-planning for those end-of-game pressure moments with a real time match clock and score on screen.”

The Bendac Dura series is a high-bright outdoor product, perfect for running rich, fast-paced content like that of rugby match-footage. The Bendac Group takes pride in providing helpful, expert solutions for their partners thanks to their skilled team of LED display engineers.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BENDAC HERE

VISIT THATCHERS ONLINE SHOP

JOSH MATAVESI: ALL SMILES

Versatile back Josh Matavesi is eager for the side to retain their place in the top four and has paid tribute to the squad as Bath Rugby host West Country rivals Gloucester Rugby in Round 21 of the Gallagher Premiership.

He said: “We are definitely taking each game by itself. We are always going to put our best foot in front and we’ll do our best against Gloucester and then hope the rest takes care of itself.

“We just have to take every day as it comes at the moment. A bit more time between games gives us a bit more of a chance to work on a few things and get things clearer, but the boys are all in a good space.

“I am massively proud of the boys. Even the lads that aren’t playing are probably the most important as they are the ones that help us prepare, so a lot of the credit has to go to those that aren’t in the matchday 23. They are the guys that push standards and push the starting team. We said during lockdown that the team that came out best prepared would 'win' lockdown and it looks like we have – but we can’t rest on our laurels.”

Bath Rugby have scored 231 points in seven outings since rugby restarted on 14 August, and the centre insists that the Blue, Black and White’s work isn't done yet.

He continued: “It’s been good. I play rugby to score tries and have fun so for it to be working, when we put a game plan out in the week and it comes off, that is the most satisfying feeling. Doing it with a group of guys you actually want to play for, get off the floor quicker for and work hard for makes it all even more enjoyable.

“We’ve not done anything yet. We still have two games to go so I’m not going to say anything on that because that’s a bad omen. Look, we’re going well, and we’ve got to keep improving because we’ve got a big few games ahead of ourselves so we’re not going to get too far ahead of ourselves and get caught. For us, it’s just staying in the moment and enjoying it.”

Bath Rugby have had an eight-day turnaround ahead of this afternoon’s match and the side will take an 11-day break before the Saracens game. Matavesi insists he relishes the opportunity for the slower pace of schedule and is wary of the threats Gloucester bring to the table.

He said: “I always take it game at a time, I haven’t even thought about Saracens yet. We have a huge game against Gloucester. At the moment I’m pretty chilled as I don’t really feel much until I get into the changing rooms.

“Their back three are pretty dangerous like myself so we have got to be quick. They have players like Danny Cipriani, who – if he is on form – is one of the best attackers in the world. For us it is about just sticking to our systems and the results will come.

“Touchwood you know – you don’t take anyone for granted in this league as they can bounce straight back. We just need to play what side they put out, do our thing and play the Bath way. We can’t really change the way we play because of what names are on the team sheet. We have shown that in the last seven games: we are going to play our way.”

Whilst enjoying his rugby of late, the centre converted fly-half expressed his desire to play anywhere across the paddock if it helps out his teammates.

He said: “I wouldn’t play it if I didn’t enjoy it. Covid has really knocked that into me, just enjoying the moments and not getting too down because it isn’t the end of the world. I’ve been playing since the age of 6 or 7 and I’m still playing for the same reason, because I love it. I’m not going to hold back on the smiling.

“As long as the team are winning that’s all that matters. There is a bigger cause and we are trying collectively to win the Premiership. I’m not that bothered about my own performance, just as long as we win.”

PROUD MOMENT FOR BATH RUGBY PATHWAY AS RECORD NUMBER OF PLAYERS GET FULL SENIOR DEBUTS

Bath Rugby’s Round 19 match against Worcester Warriors saw an historic moment for the Club.

The Blue, Black and White team that took to the pitch at the Rec featured 11 changes from the team that triumphed over Harlequins at the Stoop. And the significance of those changes marked a significant moment for Bath Rugby in the development of Pathway players.

A total of eight homegrown players starred in the six-try win over Worcester Warriors. Of those, five have made their senior debuts in the 2019/20 season – Orlando Bailey, Tom de Glanville, Gabe Hamer-Webb, Miles Reid and Kieran Verden. They join their older colleagues Tom Ellis, Max Clark and Club Captain Charlie Ewels, who all came through the pathway to become integral members of the starting XV. Ewels was named captain at the start of the 2019/20 season and achieved his 100th cap against London Irish at rugby’s restart in mid-August.

These five players, who have now all made full Gallagher Premiership debuts, have been developed over a number of years within the Club’s pathway and will be able to use their performances in top-level games to inspire further confidence and achieve even more of their goals with Bath Rugby.

Director of Rugby Stuart Hooper said: “It’s testament to the work that’s gone in over the last number of years in the pathway. The guys who have come through this year are coming into a competitive squad. The second year Academy guys have had a really good run physically getting themselves prepared and they come in with a platform to prove themselves in a professional environment, to develop at the right pace.

Welcoming Bailey and Verden onto the Rec for their Gallagher Premiership debut and seeing de Glanville, Hamer-Webb and Reid back on the pitch marked a major step forward for Bath Rugby’s Pathway objective of developing a 50% homegrown squad by 2023.

Hooper continued: “They’ve all got the potential to be Premiership players and beyond that as well. It’s been hugely exciting to get all eight of them in the building and start working with them, and not just develop them individually but develop them as a group who can really be the core of this club for a number of years to come.”

“It is testament to their hard work, dedication and skill-set. We are building a squad of young men who care deeply about this Club and who have the drive, qualities and ambition to be part of a successful team.”

The promotion of de Glanville, Hamer-Webb, Reid and Will Vaughan shows the way for fellow U20 Internationals this year, Max Ojomoh, Nahum Merigan and Archie Griffin, who will be further inspired to work hard and earn opportunities to push for a senior contract in the coming seasons.

Hooper added: “Strategically, we are very much headed in the direction of a 50% homegrown squad by 2023. The work we’ve done with the group in getting them to this point is testament to the work our people do right through the Pathway and into the 1st XV. I believe it’s the way to make a championship-winning team.”

Bath Rugby Academy Manager Craig Lilley said: “The emergence of these players is a real reinforcement of the work that is going on within the Bath Rugby pathway and the potential that exists.

“We know we have significant strength and depth in the Academy, both at Senior and U18 level, and it’s wonderful to see the progression of the players. With Gabe, Tom, Orlando, Kieran and Miles running out for Gallagher Premiership debuts, we are creating inspiring and visible goals for the youngsters in our Academy.

“Achieving a 50% homegrown squad is a crucial target and we look forward to welcoming and developing youngsters with real potential to progress and contribute to the Bath Rugby family.”

A further six players progressed from the U18 Academy group into the Senior Academy alongside Bailey. Gabe Goss, John Stewart, Ethan Staddon, Ewan Richards, Frankie Read and Tom Carr-Smith have all committed their futures to Bath Rugby, moving up the pathway ladder with the aim of becoming part of Bath Rugby’s 50% homegrown senior squad.

Joining the likes of Ojomoh, Merigan and George Worboys, the group of high-potential players have developed strong relationships as a player group, many of them having played for the Club and for England together at different ages and stages of their development.

The strength of potential that exists beneath the senior squad in this group is impressive, and they will all be striving to press their cases for game-time next year and towards future senior contracts.

Hooper concluded: “As Bath Rugby, we’re always going to attract quality players from around the world and rightly so. We want the best. We want the people at Bath who really perform and push us to be that championship-winning team. These homegrown guys become the core of that team, they become the glue that binds us together and I’m looking forward to working with them.”

THE LEADER OF THE PACK

Back Rugby’s Performance Pathway Coach Mark Lilley has been thriving in his role and has been working closely with the senior set-up during the 2019/20 Gallagher Premiership campaign.

Having spent time working in Bath Rugby’s Pathway partnership with the University of Bath and the Player Pathway within the Academy last season, Lilley has now his sights set on securing a play-off berth with the Blue, Black and White after guiding the scrum and maul this season.

Lilley revealed: “I’ve really enjoyed my journey so far. I’m really passionate around these areas of the game and the opportunity to develop them at Bath has been great. I love working with this group of players. We have a good bunch of lads that really want to push the bar consistently to where we want to get to as a pack of forwards.

“For me it’s exciting seeing the individual and collective improvements from the hard work that has been implemented on the training field and seeing it transfer onto the pitch. Quite often supporters just see the outcome on the pitch on match day, without recognising the amount of hard work that happens on and off the field.”

Bath Rugby’s set piece has been a resilient and dominant force this season, especially in the scrum – one of the key areas in which Lilley specialises. He says: “The scrum has operated well, and we have shown we can be dominant and deliver quality ball for the backs. It’s really important you create a balance around this, so they complement each other.

“The most important thing is to have buy-in from the whole pack. Our back five love to scrum and want to give the best platform they can for our front row to be dominant. We are in a good place, but there is so much more growth within our scrum. All the players are hungry to improve and that’s the great thing, they are never comfortable where we are, they want to keep pushing.

“Our players kept themselves in great physical condition during lockdown, so we were able to take off where we left with our scrum. The lads really pushed themselves within the mini pre-season to have the capabilities throughout 80 minutes to be effective in the scrum.”

Lilley explained how it can be used as a platform to ground the attack and looked into just what work goes into constructing a solid and robust scrum.

“From a technical point of view, it starts with the set-up. Each player has a clear process from the ‘Bind’ call. From there it’s then how we put this together collectively. The aim is to have all eight of the forwards in quality body positions to engage fast and effectively, and be in the best pushing position post-engagement.

“If you don’t get your set-up right, it makes the next sequences of the scrum difficult to execute. From a tactical approach, our plan will subtly change based on what opportunities or threats we have seen from the opposition. But these are just small changes that we make. We mostly focus on ourselves and how we can continuously develop our collective scrum principles.

“Within a game week we will have a front row review and also a collective forwards review against our plan going into the weekend. We will come out of that meeting with a clear idea on what we did well and where we need to improve. We will then move onto prepping for next week’s opposition and ensure we have a clear plan moving forward. The key aspect is then designing the training week around making sure we work on the areas we need to improve, both individually and collectively, while also making sure we are fully prepped for what is coming on the weekend.”

Bath Rugby have scored six tries from the driving maul since restart and have used this area of the game as a weapon to secure points. With this being a key area of focus, Lilley discussed the process of what makes up a good driving maul and how it is used during a game.

“The driving maul is an integral part of our game for many reasons. It can be a really effective way of attacking and going forward, either to win penalties, gain field position or to score tries. If your driving maul is effective, the opposition are less likely to compete for the ball aerially within the line-out. They’ll also commit more players to stop the drive, leaving space in other areas of the field to attack.”

“The driving maul can be physically and mentally draining when we are effective. It takes up lots of energy and that can massively affect how opposition players perform in other areas of the game.

“It’s very much like our scrum: from a technical point of view, we spend lots of time around our set-up, getting low and connected, and the quality of this. If our set-up individually and collectively is good, it put us in the best position to get forward in good body positions.

“We spend a lot of time on the quality of finish from our front three (jumper and lifters). They are very much like our front row within a scrum. They need to give us a good platform to push from. Teams will then decide to defend the driving maul in different ways, so it’s important we have the answers for any questions the opposition throw at us within a game. We spend lots of time walking and talking though these scenarios to ensure we have real clarity on how we execute this.

Reflecting on the coaching group who have been integral to developing real power and a weapon in the Bath Rugby pack, Lilley concluded: “Everybody has really bought into the way we want to play. Across the board there have been some massive improvements in terms of technical development. It’s pretty challenging for some of our bigger lads with some of the body positions we want them to get into, but they have worked hard to develop this part of their game.

“I feel we have also developed our mentality to driving. It’s one of those areas where you can hide a bit if you wanted, but the players have challenged themselves to making this a real weapon for us.”

ULTRARUNNING WOMAN

Bath Rugby’s very own (and self-confessed) “crazy person” ran over 1,000 miles between May and August. In August alone, she took on a 500-mile challenge – and found herself becoming an inspiration to anyone looking for a challenge, and particular for women and girls. For Rugby Operations and Player Welfare Manager Sophie Bennett, working around elite athletes is part of everyday life but the challenge she completed in August, running the equivalent of Bath to Inverness and back while the rest of us were still thinking about dusting off our trainers, was something that even impressed the seasoned rugby professionals.

Sophie heard about the 500-mile accumulator challenge in an online running group run by fellow ultrarunner Allie Bailey, who had completed the same challenge in May and was calling on her group, 'Ultra Awesome', to take it on in August.

Named the “Augummulator”, the programme challenged ultrarunners to run the same number of miles as the date – one mile on August 1st, two miles on 2nd, all the way up to 31.

Sophie explained: “I’d been back in work for about two months and I wasn’t feeling very motivated with my training. Work was really taking over, especially heading towards restarting the season, so I needed a challenge.

“This was definitely it. Virtual challenges work much better for me, with my job and responsibility for my 12-year-old stepson. Trying to get a weekend or a date in advance to do a race with all the fixtures we have is just too difficult. So when I saw this challenge, it was a real incentive, I thought I’d start it and see how it goes.

“I’d probably only run about 200 miles in a month before – this is more than double.”

She recognised the challenge was bigger than anything she’d taken on before – despite putting in the miles throughout the summer.

“At first, I wasn’t thinking too seriously about it, especially given we had 4 matches in 16 days during August. I said, if I get to 23 miles on day 23, that would be quite good – so I was pretty relaxed about it to start.”

Although it was by far the toughest challenge Sophie had taken on, it wasn’t the first virtual race of lockdown. There was a race across Tennessee, set up by influential ultratrunner Lazarus Lake. Lake set up the Barkley Marathons, arguably the world’s toughest footrace – around 100 miles in 60 hours through the mountains of Tennessee. Sophie’s own virtual race across Tennessee was running 1,000km from 1st May to 31st August, and getting the miles under her belt was crucial in setting up for the Augumulator. Incidentally, she ended up doubling the distance, becoming a BAT ('Back Across Tennessee') by running back across the state.

“Towards the end of May, I took on the Centurion Running One Community event, running 100 miles over four days, 25 miles every day. So I had got some training in doing long runs back-to-back and looking after myself. Recovery is really important - eating well, having an ice bath post-run and wearing my skins to bed.”

As the restart of the Gallagher Premiership season grew closer, a big part of the challenge was fitting running into an increasingly busy schedule.

“The first couple of weeks were fine – but when the runs get longer, trying to find that time to fit it into the day in one go was really difficult. That was the biggest struggle.

“Up to 13 or 14 miles it wasn’t too bad because it was just a couple of hours of running. Beyond that, it got tough. We’re in for meetings at work at 7 and I like to do a lot of my running in the morning – so that meant some mornings, I was waking up and getting on the treadmill at 3.30! If I ran after work, in those last two weeks I was getting home and heading out, running three or four hours at night and finishing at 11.”

“I ended up running well over 1,000 miles between May and August and I’m just so grateful to my body for getting me through it without injuries. And I’ve gone through a few pairs of trainers!”

As the miles built up, the motivation became harder to find. She said: “I love training, I love running and I love the structure of having a challenge, but this was really tough. I even said to one of the lads: remind me never to do this again. Particularly from about day 24, remind me how I’m feeling – even though there was only a week left to go, there were still over 200 miles to run.

“I don’t like quitting. Once I start something, I absolutely want to see it through. Even though we were in work 10 hours a day, I didn’t want to quit. I’d go in and speak to PJ [Wilson, Head of Strength & Conditioning] and he’d say “no, you’ve got to do this, don’t split the days up, you’re in it now, you can do this”, and he really motivated me. It really spurred me on.”

What was even more crucial was the support Sophie received along the road.

“I roped a few people into keeping me company. I was so lucky. People were amazing. When I got into that last week and I was running after work, I just said to Watto [Matthew Watkins, Performance Analyst] ‘do you want to come and do a loop with me tonight’ and he came and ran 16 miles with me – and he hadn’t run anywhere near that!

“There are also guys who I run with from So Fit gym, who call themselves the Hardcore Running Club, who came out on a few runs with me too. Two of the lads, Michael and Andrew, got up on day 31 and ran all 31 miles with me – and they’d probably only been training up to a maximum of 10 miles! So I think I inspired them to do the long-haul with me and they were amazing in turn. Another member of this crew, Dr George, had been on back-to-back night shifts at the RUH but she still managed to run until nearly midnight with me on that last week of the challenge.

“My sister and my nieces Izzy and Thea were amazing, facetiming me when I was running along. Hoops [Stuart Hooper] was brilliant, assuring me if I needed to leave early to get it done I could. A couple of times when I finished my mileage and wasn’t home, Coops [Dan Cooper, Head Analyst] would come and pick me up and drop me back home.

Finally, the support from Sophie’s stepson Dylan was incredible. As all parents will know, juggling family life with work and time for you can sometimes seem impossible. For Sophie, Dylan made this a possibility.

"I had so much support. It would have been so tough without that.”

The players and coaching staff made the finale of the challenge full of surprises and support.

“On the last day, Byron [Field, Head of Medical Services] put a message on our WhatsApp group that morning when I was 16 miles in, and all the boys were messaging me with support. After I finished it, Ant Watson organized for me to have a pedicure, Rhys [Priestland] gave me his man-of-the-match champagne and Stookie [Elliott Stooke] gave me a box of wine. There was so much love and support, it was amazing and really got me through those last few days.”

Another highlight of the last day: remembering one of the reasons Sophie loves ultrarunning so much. Getting 31 miles completed in the morning of a match day, she says: “In mile 30 I had a cheeky stop at McDonalds and ran the last mile with a vanilla milkshake in my hand!

"One of the reasons I love ultrarunning so much is it is truly a marathon not a sprint. There is generally no time pressure. I could take a moment to stop for snacks, admiring breathtaking views across the Cotswolds, or just taking a breath and having some peace and quiet. This is why I run.

"I will never forget being inspired reading a book by Dean Karnazes – aka UltraMarathon Man – and he talks about how his family would go on holiday and he would run to meet them while they drove there. He once got a Domino’s and Mountain Dew ordered to the side of the road, ate it, and carried on running. I thought, any sport where you get to run to your destination and eat pizza, I’m in for that – and I haven’t been disappointed!”

When Sophie had to dig deep, she also found inspiration and support from thoughts of her mother.

“I lost my mum a few years ago and she was just so tough. The day she found out she was dying, when she told us, she cried. But then I never saw her cry again. In those next ten months, she was so strong and positive all the time. She fought so hard, so whenever I felt tired or hurting, I channeled my inner mum. She was amazing. She’s my inspiration and it really helps me tap into that inner strength.”

And in finding that inspiration and completing the challenge, Sophie found herself becoming an inspiration to others, especially to women and girls.

“I didn’t ever set out to do this for that reason, but especially over the last couple of months, the number of people who have got in touch - particularly on social media - saying they've laced up their trainers when they saw what I was doing - that feels amazing. If something I’ve done can help inspire someone else, that’s incredible."

“It’s something I’m really keen to pursue – working with women and helping them if they’re struggling with motivation, fitness, going to the gym and so on. If I go through times when I’m not feeling very motivated, how does someone who doesn’t have the passion I have for fitness and running cope? I’m lucky I’ve found something I enjoy, that I can endure, that I can use to see how far I can push myself and what I can do next.

“I love the fact I can show my stepchildren you can be strong and fit. If they feel strong and they can go out and play, hold their own, play football, play rugby, it just gives them the ability to be more positive in their day-to-day. It really helps their confidence and I'm proud I can be a positive role model to them all.

“And I really want to be that inspiration to others. For my nieces Izzy and Thea, I hope they can look up to me and know they can achieve anything. I want that to be an inspiration for women and girls who read this story. You can do whatever you want to do. Find your why, remember that, and when it gets tough and you’re going back out into the dark, that – and the support you get – will keep you going. Not just for running – for any challenge you take on.

“It’s also something really important in my work life as well. I want to show the team I’m willing to graft as well. I know it’s different, but they look at me and understand I’m working really hard to achieve something big, putting my body through the ringer too – I got a certain amount of respect for that, which is important.”

So what’s next for Bath Rugby’s very own ultrarunner? Sophie has a place on the Dragon’s Back race in September 2021. After badly injuring herself when training for last year’s Dragon’s Back, staying fit and uninjured throughout this summer was hugely important – and it is cathartic that the Dragon’s Back race will be the next big physical race Sophie will undertake. Taking place over six days, 200-odd miles down the spine of Wales, 40,000 feet of elevation, finishing in Cardiff – this is a woman who doesn’t do things by halves.

LAST TIME OUT

REVISIT THE MATCH REPORT FROM JANUARY

WELCOME GLOUCESTER RUGBY

Introducing George Skivington

We welcome Gloucester Rugby today with a new face in charge: George Skivington. Skivington took charge of Gloucester Rugby back in July having previously been forwards coach at London Irish. The 37-year-old is a well known and respected member of the rugby community having captained England Saxons and London Irish in his playing career which also included time at Wasps and Leicester Tigers.

A talented young English coach, Skivington has a bright future ahead of him and is hoping to make the necessary tweaks at Gloucester Rugby to get the club competing for silverware again before too long.

Gloucester – the season so far

Since the return from lockdown, it’s been a time of change for Gloucester Rugby. The club has brought in a fresh, young, coaching setup and have had a shakeup of the squad meaning that the last few months have been a time of learning and development.

George Skivington replaced Johan Ackermann as Gloucester Rugby’s head coach and as part of the change Alex King and Dom Waldouck were brought in to take charge of attack and defence. Tim Taylor and Trevor Woodman have provided some continuity in the coaching set up and have helped the transition at the Hartpury training base.

The playing squad is largely the same but Skivington has already made his mark by bringing in some big names including former Bath captain Matt Garvey and Matias Alemanno, whilst also making use of the talented academy products coming through.

The results have been mixed since the 2019/20 season resumed but Skivington’s goal of giving each member of his squad game time has been achieved. He has now seen what each player is capable of and now fully understands the group he is working with.

The focus has been on good performances rather than targeting specific results and this has allowed the squad to develop their own playing style over the past seven games and strong foundations have been set for the club to build on going into next season.

Gloucester Rugby sit eighth in the Premiership and have their eyes on a top six finish. With Harlequins, who are sixth, only five points ahead, the Cherry and Whites are looking to pick up some good points on Tuesday evening to help boost them up the table.

It’s a short journey down the M5 to Bath and Gloucester Rugby are looking forward to taking on their historic West Country rivals under the lights at the Rec. It was the Cherry and Whites who came away victorious the last time the two sides faced each other and they will be hoping that history will repeat itself.

FOUR TO WATCH...

Louis Rees-Zammit

It’s easy to forget that this try-scoring sensation is still in his first full season as a professional rugby player. The Gloucester Rugby academy product has risen to the top almost as quickly as he can run down the wing! With the ability to go around or through a defensive line, Skivington’s side will be looking to get the ball into his hands as often as possible. His impressive try-scoring ability saw him called up to the Wales Six Nations squad and he has continued to improve over the last few months. He has recently been given a few starting opportunities at fullback but wherever he starts he will be a threat.

Ollie Thorley

Ollie Thorley currently sits at the top of the Premiership try-scorer table and will be hoping to add to his 11 tries this evening. He is an attacking threat from every position of the field and has come back from lockdown even more of a physical specimen, using his added bulk to shrug off defenders with ease and then gallop in from distance. Thorley will be hoping to emulate his performance against Leicester Tigers when the winger scored four tries before half time in Gloucester Rugby’s 46-30 victory at Kingsholm at the end of August.

Jake Polledri

The Italian international has been making rampaging carries all season and has recently been deployed at number 8, giving him more opportunities to be at his destructive best. In Round 20 of the Gallagher Premiership, Polledri topped the stats for the most defenders beaten, the most carries, the most offloads and the most metres made. He’s certainly one to keep an eye out for! A fan favourite, the backrow player never has a bad game and will be putting Gloucester Rugby on the front foot for the full 80 minutes.

Lewis Ludlow

The Gloucester Rugby captain has stepped up a level since the Premiership restarted and has really grown into his leadership position by setting an example for his teammates to follow. The flanker is prepared to do the hard, unseen work, sticking his head in mauls and rucks and truly putting his body on the line for his club. Driving the forwards to provide quick, clean ball for the backs, Ludlow bleeds Cherry and White and will be a vital cog in the team that travels down to the Rec.

INTRODUCING BATH RUGBY’S NEW SENIOR ACADEMY MEMBERS

Orlando Bailey

Young fly-half Orlando Bailey is one of the most competitive and driven players at the Bath Rugby Academy. He has developed his knowledge significantly during the past few seasons, growing his understanding and influence on the game, which resulted on him being called up for England U18s. Picking up plenty of points both as a try-scorer and goal-kicker in the Gallagher Premiership U18 league, his game is build around creativity, ability to beat defenders and making and finding space with his running, passing and kicking game.

Making his Gallagher Premiership debut against Worcester Warriors at the Rec, there is plenty to come from this young man.

Tom Carr-Smith

Educated at Sherborne School, Tom Carr-Smith has shown real desire to improve, balancing this while studying for his A-Levels. He shows commitment to learn and ask questions, helping him develop as a key decision-maker and problem solver. The scrum-half has continued to impress during the 2019/20 season with strong performances for school and Club. Tall and powerful, Carr-Smith is a real physical presence, consistently asking questions of the opposition defences through his running game.

Recently he has significantly improved his ability to manage games, keeping the momentum going through effective kicking skills and putting pressure on the opposition backfield - skills that will be important for his transition from school to the Senior Academy.

Gabe Goss

One of the fastest players to graduate from the Academy in recent times, Gabe Goss has been devastating with ball in hand over the past couple of seasons.

With intelligence and awareness to create and take advantage of all attacking situations, he has scored a number of tries through his ability to beat defenders one-on-one in space as well as an impressive work rate to support line breaks.

He works hard with his defensive game, increasing knowledge and understanding of when to give and take space. After a layoff earlier in the season with a hamstring injury, he is looking forward to getting back to rugby, training with his teammates, picking up from where he left off.

Frankie Read

Frankie Read recently converted from centre to back row. He is a player who consistently demonstrates his ability to make line breaks between defences through his excellent lines of running and timing onto the ball.

With real instinct to create space for others, he generates momentum with his ball-carrying and short passing game when in heavy traffic. Read moved to Beechen Cliff for his sixth form, joining the ACE programme where he was able to produce moments of brilliance in attack.

He will look to progress his game even further to ensure his impressive skill set transfers effectively to the adult game.

Ewan Richards

Ewan Richards captained the Bath Rugby U18 team to six wins from seven games in 2018/19. Performing on the international stage for England U18s also demonstrates his potential and it is hugely exciting to help him fulfil that potential here at Bath. Richards has many strengths on the field within attack, defence and set piece. His work rate off the ball has fuelled effectiveness in support, resulting in long-range breaks and metres made with ball in hand.

His coaches commend his humility: within what has been a standout season for Richards within both the Bath Rugby and England set-up, he has supported his team with great determination and shows real ambition as a player.

Ethan Staddon

Ethan Staddon has been one of the most improved and consistent performers within the U18 Academy, resulting in a well-deserved promotion to the Senior Academy. With real potential in size and strength, Staddon can bring a new dimension to the game with his versatility, ability to ball carry, offload and produce quick ball within the contact area. His attributes off-the-field are also predictive of a bright future – he learns quickly, challenges himself to improve consistently and his ambitions off the field are just as lofty as on it.

He attacks and defends with real passion and his desire to make an impact on the game has resulted in some impressive performances – leading to selection for England age groups.

John Stewart

John Stewart is a relatively recent convert from back row to hooker and his influence on the game continues to grow as a developing front row player. His performances have seen him selected for England U18s.

Stewart’s competitiveness and work rate brings a real edge to the team. He has real ability to create space for others and generates momentum with ball-carrying and a short passing game. He understands the game well, with a huge passion to keep developing his knowledge and skills. Working hard on his set piece, he has made some great strides in the past 12 months and adds great value in both attack and defence with his physicality and dominance in contact situations.

BATH RUGBY FOUNDATION

Bath Half

The Bath Half Marathon returns on Sunday, March 14, when we want to see YOU running in the famous Blue, Black and White of Bath Rugby. The Bath is not only the city’s biggest annual event, it is also an incredible fundraiser for Bath Rugby Foundation. The Foundation has seen revenue plunge during the pandemic, so we hope to sign up as many runners as possible to join our team and help benefit the disadvantaged children and young people in and around our city.

Stan's Story

Stan had the toughest start to life when, soon after his addict parents left him - aged just two - he was diagnosed with leukaemia. The illness dramatically affected him, not only in terms of his health, but also with him missing the chance to grow up with other children as he was in and out of treatment. Stan was bullied, turned to drugs and was living the most chaotic life…read how Stan turned his life around with the help of Bath Rugby Foundation.

Cycle Club

The Bath Rugby Foundation Cycle Club (BRFCC) is one of the biggest cycle clubs in the region, with 133 members and counting. The all-abilities club has raised over £300,000 for our charity and arranges weekend cycles and midweek Summer cycles to encourage everyone to take part. It mirrors the work of Bath Rugby Foundation – ensuring that no one is left behind!

Feel Good, Do Good

Although not everyone is able to watch their beloved Blue, Black and White at the Rec, all rugby and cider lovers can enter a charity draw, with the chance to win a First Team squad-signed bottle of limited-edition Thatchers Farleigh cider. Proceeds from the draw will benefit two amazing local charities – feel good and do good…

BUY TICKETS HERE

EYES ON THE PRIZE!

Two rounds to go and that play-off place is almost within touching distance. Exeter are home and dry but the remaining three places are very much up for grabs and the way we’re playing at the moment who’d bet against us writing our name on one of them?

I don’t tend to engage much on social media, but I did react a few weeks ago when some posters on one of the sites were debating whether we’re good enough for the play-offs. My view is very simple. If we make top four it’ll be because our performances and results justify it and in a Cup environment, we'll give anybody a run for their money. For me, support is emotional and unconditional, but then again, my glasses are always Blue, Black and White coloured!

Anyway, all that was before the boys went to the AJ Bell. It’s a bit of a fortress these days and not the happiest of hunting grounds for us recently, so there was every reason for a few extra nerves. None of those were allayed by a Sale team sheet containing, amongst other talent, a brace of Currys, Manu Tuilagi and a pack full of big, aggressive Bokke. Watching on TV is hard, but what a game. If anybody needed evidence of the fantastic spirit and sheer “dog” in this Bath team you need look no further than Will Spencer, sporting a facial injury that would have sent most of us straight to A&E, but calling for a bandage and a clean shirt to be brought onto the pitch! With all respect to some of the other teams that we’ve played since the restart, sticking 37 points on a pretty much full strength Sale team on their patch really underpinned our top four credentials.

We’ve been busy at BRSC. Membership is now over 500, but we need you to rejoin or join for the first time as soon as possible. The link’s on our allez-bath website. BRSC Membership gets you access to great events like last Monday’s “virtual” evening with Francois Louw, with guests Lee Mears and Neal Hatley. You know what to do! We were also delighted to award the Stone King award for services to BRSC and Bath Rugby to David Trick at a presentation at the Rec on 10th September. Congratulations Tricky – thoroughly well deserved.

And so today. Gloucester will be a difficult challenge – for many of us it’s still the biggest of the local derby games. Gloucester still need points to secure their place in next season’s European Champions Cup and we know they would love a result at the Rec. But at least we’re going to have a live crowd! Let’s see if 1000 Blue, Black and White faithful can help the boys to another great win. It needs a full 80-minute effort from everybody lucky enough to be there so no holding back. We’re Bath, we’re proud and we’re very loud – even those watching at home on TV!