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BATH RUGBY v LONDON IRISH

By Bath Rugby

April 8^th, 2021

COACH’S CORNER: STUART HOOPER

Dear supporter,

We are massively pleased to be in a home quarter-final this Friday. In knockout rugby, winning is everything and you progress because of the 10,000 minutes of hard work in the week, in addition to the 80 match minutes.

I am proud of the lads for finding a way to win in conditions we’ve not experienced for a while; the 27-degree heat was a bit of a shock to the system - for me as well as the players! Zebre presented different challenges to what we have come up against this season. For the squad to resolve unforeseen problems when they arise is a measure of where they are at as a group currently.

We were on the aeroplane waiting for our flight back when we found out that London Irish would be our opponents in the quarter-final. Everyone was being asked to turn their phones off and we just about managed to catch the try as they went in at the end!

Having faced them not so long ago, the players will understand what sort of challenge awaits them and we will take the learnings from that game into this match. However, we have to make sure we remain diligent with our preparation, and any surprises they may present.

A Friday night under the lights at the Rec is always exciting and the only thing missing will be you, our supporters. It is a real shame that we won’t hear you roaring us on but your support from home is massively appreciated by everyone at the club.

We are edging closer to the day we can have you back and it is an occasion we are relishing.

Enjoy the game,

Hoops

CAPTAIN’S COLUMN: CHARLIE EWELS

Hi all,

I had the pleasure of watching the boys do their thing in Italy from home last weekend. If I’m honest, I am a terrible watcher – I feel hopeless! I love watching the boys do well and I love watching us win, but I would have much preferred being out there.

The main learning I take from my suspension is I have got to have better control of my emotions on the field for the benefit of myself and, more importantly, the team. Playing rugby for Bath is a privilege and I am extremely proud to represent the club every time I have the opportunity to do so. I got things wrong against London Irish and missed out on making memories against Zebre – that’s not something I want to experience again.

I was proud of how the team rallied and fought back with a numerical disadvantage to earn two Premiership points at Irish a fortnight ago. We tightened things up and played some of our best rugby in the match towards the end against a dangerous side. We know they are a team that stays in the contest for the whole 80 minutes and it will be another good test for our group. We feel like we let one go two weeks ago so it will be good to have them back at the Rec in a European quarter-final.

As a player, knockout rugby is what you strive for. You get the big, exciting games at this stage of the competition. Everything is heightened and everyone brings their A game because the consequences are higher.

The only thing missing on Friday will be the Bath supporters cheering us on in person. We are missing out on these moments with you, but we will be aiming to do you proud under the lights at home.

All the best and enjoy the game,

Charlie

VIEW DYSON V11 OUTSIZE HERE

Chairman’s welcome message: European Rugby Challenge Cup quarter-finals

Last weekend, we were treated to high-class rugby across the continent as the European Rugby Challenge Cup returned with some brilliant attacking play, high drama, thrilling comebacks and plenty of compelling contests.

The points tally started to rack up once Zebre Rugby Club stormed into the lead against former tournament winners and 1998 European champions Bath Rugby on Friday, before a thrilling turnaround gave tonight's home team one of five berths in these quarter-finals for clubs from the Gallagher Premiership. There would be two sizeable swings in fortune in Anglo-Welsh matches too, as London Irish and Northampton Saints prevailed over Cardiff Blues and Dragons, respectively, in high-scoring contests.

The Round of 16 was certainly unpredictable with four away wins from eight matches in the Challenge Cup, where a total of 522 points were scored at an average of over 65 per match during the weekend.

We are all set for plenty more entertainment this weekend, which also hails a landmark for the club game in Italy as Benetton Rugby become its first representatives in a European quarter-final. Having already won in France against 2017 winners Stade Français Paris during the Preliminary Stage, their win over Agen brings them to a last-eight date with Montpellier, who lifted this trophy back in 2016.

The draws for the final four of both European club rugby tournaments will take place live on BT Sport this Sunday (11 April) and ordinarily, the combatants would be eyeing up spots in Marseille for Finals Weekend on 21-22 May. Only these are not ordinary times. We deeply regret the need to postpone the Stade Vélodrome showpiece for the second consecutive season and the inconvenience that it has caused to many fans who had snapped up tickets in anticipation of an event to savour.

As with each of its matches and events, EPCR operates to the numerous different local authority directives and guidelines - as well as its own robust COVID-19 protocols. The health and safety of all concerned is our obvious priority and in doing all we can to ensure that, we are grateful to the shareholder leagues and unions for their support.

Speaking of support: we cannot wait to welcome fans back to stadiums across the continent! Whilst that has not been possible, the importance of high-quality television coverage is illustrated in much higher definition. Easter weekend saw another enormous undertaking from our domestic broadcast partners BT Sport, beIN SPORTS, France Télévisions and Sky Italia, as well as a host of linear, OTT and streaming solutions worldwide.

As well as sharing the journey with them, we also appreciate the backing of official partners Tissot, the Financial Times, Gilbert and Kappa.

Yours in Rugby

Simon Halliday, EPCR Chairman

CARYL THOMAS MAKES WALES RETURN

Wales kicked-off their 2021 Women's Six Nations campaign last weekend, with Bath Rugby Foundation programme development manager Caryl Thomas starting at loose-head prop, following a year away from the field.

Despite the final result, Wales produced a determined display in the second half against an impressive French side, twice holding them up over the line as the clock turned red.

“For me personally, it was brilliant being back after taking a year out, and with the restrictions we've had over the last 12 months," Thomas said.

"To be stood there singing the anthems, the pride of that moment... it was special. Obviously we didn’t perform as well as we’d have wanted. We knew that their threats would be in their counter attack and we just didn’t manage it. We had a game plan that we could have executed better, there were opportunities out there.

“We have huge belief in what we can do and we were disappointed, but the good thing with the Six Nations is another game comes around quite quickly, so we’re looking ahead to an exciting fixture against Ireland at the weekend”

Everyone at Bath Rugby would like to send their best wishes to Caryl ahead of Wales v Ireland this Saturday 10 April.

All of the Women's Six Nations games are available to watch on the BBC iPlayer.

JACQUES DU TOIT: BATH RUGBY’S LATEST DEBUTANT

Jacques du Toit made a try-scoring debut for Bath Rugby as the Blue, Black and Whites progressed to the quarter-final of the Challenge Cup with victory over Zebre.

The hooker joined the club from the Cheetahs and made his first outing after a period of adjustment.

"It was a great occasion for me to make my debut for Bath," he said.

"I've been here since the end of January. I had to isolate and go through some snow! My last game was in December so it was great to get out on the pitch and try and provide something for the team."

Watch the full interview here

BENO BECOMES BATH CENTURION

Beno Obano become a Bath Rugby centurion when he ran out onto the field in the Challenge Cup Round of 16 clash with Zebre – another incredible triumph in a year of rugby highs.

“I always feel grateful to have the opportunity to play rugby for a living. I just try and take every opportunity given to me whether that be game day or training. I try to put the most into it to get the most out of it.

“When you just remember where it all begun, you’re just grateful for today and you just try and make the most out of the opportunity.”

Congratulations, Beno!

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“I WANT TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION JUST AS I HAVE BEEN INSPIRED.”

In any line of work it is important to have other interests, a focus to wind down and relax outside of the day job. For Miles Reid, it's Formula 1.

The 22-year-old has a long-standing connection with the sport having been introduced to it by his grandad as a boy.

His love of the sport means his weekends often consist of watching practice sessions and qualifying, as well as races all over the world, from the comfort of his own sofa – occasionally joined by his girlfriend.

“My grandad was a huge motorsport fan,” Reid said.

“He had a small collection of cars which he passed on to my mum and my uncle, so it’s always run in the family to be into motorsport.

“When I was younger, I used to love F1. As time went on, I drifted away from watching each race weekend but in recent years I’ve picked it back up and I absolutely love it. I watch every single practice session, qualifying and the race!

“It’s exciting. Outside of rugby it is hard to find anything to take your mind off things, especially in this time with the pandemic. For me, it’s F1. I love the whole business model around it and how they market it is amazing - especially in recent years with the ‘Drive to Survive’ Netflix documentary.

“It’s nice to see a few other boys at the club get into it. There’s a few of us who are playing the F1 game on the PS4 at the moment which is interesting and fun!”

Bath Rugby fans will be pleased to know that at 6ft 2 and 108kg, Reid’s body shape doesn’t quite suite the requirements of a career in racing driving. His only practical knowledge has come in the form of a few jaunts around a go-kart track and a Formula 4 car experience.

He does use the interest to his advantage, however, exploring the intricacies of a driver’s psyche and how that approach may be transferrable to rugby.

“I think the mental side of F1 is huge – so much goes into that,” Reid explained.

“You’re against 19 other people on the grid trying to race cars and it comes down to the finest, finest margins… a tenth of a second and even smaller sometimes. It’s interesting to watch a few things about drivers and see what they do to get in the zone for a race.

“I think it can be similar to get in the zone for a rugby match. It’s different in a way as in F1 you probably have to calm yourself down a lot, whereas in rugby you have to build yourself up a bit, especially as a forward in my position. I definitely think there are things that translate from one to the other.”

Reid’s mentality has been tested in the most telling of circumstances. Two serious injuries have impacted the back rower early in his Bath Rugby career with the second, a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, keeping him out for an entire season.

His determination and dedication to not only return to the field as quickly as possible, but to return as a better player, is admirable. He's used his time out of the game wisely to ensure he could bring value to the side; it is hard to argue that he hasn’t done just that.

“When I first came into the squad at Farleigh I had another injury which was similar to the one I had last year,” he said.

“For me, that was my learning period; I learnt a lot in that time. Then I did it again at the start of last season. That was a big one because I knew what I’d been through before and what was coming. I feel like I had time to look at things, look at the team from a different perspective, from the outside in.

“When you get injured and are out for such a long period of time, you have to have the mindset that you are going to come back better. There are always things to work on whether that be physical, mental or technical things. I did a lot of breakdown stuff when I was injured, finding myself in that low position to steal the ball. I think that’s where I got better and what I brought to the team as I came back in.

“Those periods can be tricky when you’re not playing but they are also an opportunity to come back playing better rugby - I really believe that.”

Over the past month in particular, Reid has produced some eye-catching displays, recognised by supporters as the club’s Land Rover Performance of the Month for March.

The academy graduate earned his European debut against Zebre in a starting role after an impressive period – a proud moment for a man Bath born and bred.

“I’ve played so many games in the Prem, but Europe had just evaded me!” he joked.

“I was really proud to have made my European debut; it was class. Europe is the big stage and it’s always a big weekend when you see Europe on TV and all the teams are playing each other. Playing teams from other countries is always massive.

“At the moment in the team there are a lot of lads of my age, a little bit older, a little bit younger who are kind of coming through and to play with them was really special. I think it means a lot more when you’re playing with people who you have been on the same journey as. When you grow up with someone watching them play you know them inside out, so it was really special.

“This is the most rugby I’ve played in a season for a long time and I’ve actually been competing for a starting spot. It’s been a huge experience for myself and one I’m really enjoying.”

At the same age, Sir Lewis Hamilton made his first Grand Prix entry and 14-years later, is an inspiration to millions around the world - including Reid.

Hamilton’s Formula 1 exploits have given him the platform to speak out on matters close to his heart, and Reid believes it is imperative for sportsmen and women to use their status for good, where possible.

He said: “Lewis, as a British sports star, is up there with the best ever and what he has achieved in F1 one is ridiculous. Outside of it, he’s a very good activist and speaks out on what he believes in and uses his platform to make a difference. It’s something I aspire to be like.

“We play sport to win and make memories with the people you play with, but as a rugby player on the big stage, you can use your platform to create change. The most important thing around this which we have spoken about as a team is your ‘why’: why you play the sport, why you wake up early in the morning to go to the gym and put your body through all the harm and that’s massive.

“You’re not just playing to win but you’re playing for something behind that, whether that’s inspiring others or trying to make a change with your platform, and I think that’s really, really important.”

Being from Bath, Reid knows exactly what his ‘why’ is and has goals of supporting the community as well as helping Bath Rugby reach the highest of heights.

“I’ve grown up in Bath my whole life. My dad was involved in the club when he was younger; I’ve grown up around the whole era of Jeremy Guscott, Andy Robinson, Tommy’s dad Phil (de Glanville)… a lot of people like that.

“I’ve seen what Bath was like before the club went professional in the glory days and that’s inspired me to become a rugby player for Bath. I absolutely love the club and what it represents; it’s the heartbeat of the city and when there is a Bath Rugby game, everything is centred around the Rec.

“For me, it’s about inspiring the next generation and how I can play my part in returning Bath to the glory days, whatever that might be. I want to inspire the next generation just as I was inspired.

“I may not have been around back then to watch them play, but I have heard many a story and have watched games from back then to kind of have that something to be a driving force in my life.”

CHALLENGE CUP ROUND OF 16

Bath Rugby booked their place in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals with a hard-earned 35-27 victory over Zebre.

Home wing Pierre Bruno scored a first-half hat-trick in a 40 minutes which also saw Joe Cokanasiga and Will Stuart add their names to the scoresheet.

Centurion Beno Obano and Anthony Watson stretched the visitors into a commanding position before Jacques du Toit sealed the win late on. Ben Spencer was perfect with every single kick under the Italian sun.

REVISIT LAST WEEKS MATCH REPORT FROM OUR ROUND OF 16 MATCH AGINST ZEBRE

The two sides may have met in the Gallagher Premiership a fortnight ago, but Friday’s Challenge Cup quarter-final clash at the Rec will be the first European tie between Bath Rugby and London Irish.

The Blue, Black and Whites have a favourable record against fellow English teams in the tournament having won 10 of the 11 matches, losing only to Northampton Saints in the 2013/14 final.

Stuart Hooper’s men have a similarly impressive record at home against sides from all around Europe – 28 of the club’s 29 Challenge Cup games at the Rec have been wins including six head-to-heads with Premiership opponents.

LONDON IRISH'S ROAD TO THE LAST EIGHT

London Irish are a side well-accustomed to the Challenge Cup having played 98 times in the competition before this Friday’s quarter-final.

The Exiles were grouped with French clubs Agen and Pau during this year’s tournament and got off to a flyer on the road at the former.

Albert Tuisue scored two first half tries and Steve Mafi added a further score for the Premiership outfit before half-time.

The second half saw Ollie Hassell-Collins cross and a late Phil Cokanasiga – brother of Joe – try secured a comfortable 34-8 result.

Eight days later, Irish put themselves in a commanding position to progress to the knockout stages with a 26-17 victory over Pau.

In a dominant first 40, James Stokes scored a double either side of a visiting score and Cokanasiga added his second in as many games on the stroke of the interval.

Tom Parton’s early second half finish proved decisive and Irish managed to hang on despite Pau’s best efforts to claw back the scoreline.

London Irish’s reverse fixtures against both teams were cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but their form led to them earning a home tie in the Round of 16, following EPCR announcement that the Challenge Cup would be returning.

Cardiff Blues were their opponents and in an epic battle which ebbed and flowed, Irish were forced to comeback to advance.

Three tries in a remarkable 10 minutes saw Declan Kidney’s men record a stunning 41-35 with the third coming in the 79th minute, two minutes after a drop goal looked to have won it for the Blues.

The result showcased Irish’s spirit and ability to attack from all areas of the pitch – something Bath Rugby are aware of following the match at the Brentford Community Stadium a fortnight ago.

HEAD TO HEAD

While the last meeting at the Rec between the two sides was postponed, this will be the first time Bath Rugby and London Irish have faced each other in the Challenge Cup.

The two sides did face each other recently with the Blue, Black and Whites scoring twice late on to earn two bonus points on the road - despite going down to 12 men.

Irish did win the contest 36-33 but previously hadn’t recorded a win over Bath since 2012. In fact, Friday’s hosts have won this fixture 14 times in the past 10 years (L2).

Home scrum-half Ben Spencer and visiting fly-half Paddy Jackson have both scored 18 points in this fixture while Anthony Watson, Jonathan Joseph and Ben Loader have three tries each to their name. Jack Walker and Curtis Rona aren’t far behind with two a-piece.

Last time out at the Rec in August 2020, Spencer, Tom Dunn (2), Joseph and Walker were all on target as Stuart Hooper’s side ran out 34-17 winners.

Bath have scored an average of 42 points in their past four games against London Irish while the Exiles have averaged 20.5.

ONES TO WATCH

Blair Cowan

Flanker Blair Cowan joined London Irish ahead of the 2013/14 season and made an immediate impression, winning the Players’ Player of the Season Award. An imposing defensive operator, the Scotland international recently equalled the Premiership tackle record of 34 in a single match when Irish overcame Worcester Warriors – the second player to do so in the space of a month, following in the footsteps of Bath Rugby’s Tom Dunn.

Ben Loader

Ben Loader’s first two Premiership tries of the season came against Bath Rugby last time out so the Blue, Black and Whites are aware of the threats he possesses. Light on his feet and pace in abundance, the wing featured for the first time in the 2020/21 Challenge Cup in Irish’s Round of 16 match against Cardiff Blues and scored by slicing through a gap from a well-worked backs move.

Albert Tuisue

Albert Tuisue arrived at London Irish in January 2019. The 27-year-old adds huge value to the Exiles’ back row, not only because of his 6ft 2in, 114kg frame, but also due to his skill and flair – typical of most Fijian talents. In his first season and a half at Irish, he scored 12 tries in 34 matches and has carried on his fine form this term, adding a further three scores this term – two in three Challenge Cup encounters.

“BATH HAVE ALLOWED ME TO EXPRESS MYSELF.”

In another life, things could have looked pretty different for Cameron Redpath.

As a youngster, the 21-year-old was on the books of West Bromwich Albion Football Club’s Academy as a central midfielder, training twice a week with the Baggies and hoping for a Saturday run out.

Going professional in the sport he enjoyed never particularly crossed his mind.

“I was just an engine that used to run in the middle and I was pretty physical as well!” Redpath recalled.

“I was there when I was about 11 or 12 and it was really enjoyable. It just felt like training and I didn’t think it was that big a deal. I never thought I was going to end up as a professional footballer - I probably wasn’t good enough!

“I actually carried on playing football outside of school until I was about 16 and rugby within school. I just wanted to do things I enjoyed. I loved doing all these different sports as a kid and that helped me develop in a sense.

“In the end, I quit West Brom to play rugby for the school I was at; I liked football but if I had to pick, rugby was going to top it. I enjoyed it while it lasted but I wasn’t committed enough for football and I love my rugby so I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Alongside a childhood of football and rugby, Redpath dabbled in cricket, hockey and athletics – representing Cheshire at the nationals in the latter, running the 400 and 800 metres.

Being exposed to a host of sports has shaped him into the all-round, talented rugby player he is today; an attribute that caught the eye of Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend who selected Redpath in his 2021 Guinness Six Nations squad.

Born in France to Scottish parents – his father, Bryan, representing Scotland 60 times – Cam spent the majority of his childhood in England, playing at age-grade level for the national team. It would be understandable to assume that he had a tough decision to make when Townsend came calling, but that didn't prove to be the case.

“I never really made it about England-Scotland,” he said.

“I tried to make it about where I would enjoy myself, what I was thinking and feeling at that moment and that’s what my decision was made on. It wasn’t based on England this or Scotland that… it was about where I would benefit from at that moment and in the long run. It wasn’t really too hard in the moment.”

Redpath’s hard work earned him a first opportunity at senior international level in round 1, ironically against England. He was one of their star performers on a historic afternoon for Scotland who recorded their first win at Twickenham since 1983.

“It was pretty cool; it was nice to get my debut,” Redpath said.

“I didn’t expect it to happen there and to get the win we had was even better. I was really happy and it was nice to play against a couple of familiar faces with the boys here who were playing for England.

“I just wanted to play well against England and hopefully that helped in the win. It’s weird to think it could have been the other way around, but I made my decision and I’m happy with it.”

A year earlier, Redpath had a more difficult decision to make in his club career. The centre was at Sale Sharks, his childhood team, but was struggling to express himself and maximise his full potential.

An opening to move to Bath Rugby came forward and he grasped the chance to head south for a new challenge which he feels has reignited his game.

“It was a tough decision but it was needed,” he explained.

“At 21, I didn’t expect to be at another club and considering I made my debut at 17, I thought I was going to be in it for the long run. Along the way I picked up a couple of injuries, I wasn’t really finding form and it wasn’t clicking for me. I needed that fresh start.

“I needed to get into a new environment with new people and just try and push on with my rugby. It was a weird one because it was all mid-season. I was expecting it to be the end of the season, but Dimes (former Sale Director of Rugby Steve Diamond) said if there was an opportunity then there was nothing holding me back to go then.

“It all came really quickly. I remember meeting Bath in late January and by mid-February I was there. I’m really happy I made the decision and I’m loving it here, but it was a hard one because Sale was my club from the age of 14-20.”

Mid-season transfers are an anomaly in rugby but Redpath took to the challenge like a duck to water, aided by the welcoming Bath staff, coaches and players, in particular Stuart Hooper.

“Hoops was the main guy I talked to at that point,” he said.

“I was staying at Farleigh when I moved here and he was just really good and helpful and said ‘just get stuck in and we’ll help you’. I had a few issues with my knee when I first came and the physios here were like ‘right, we’ll get that sorted and once that is sorted we know you then’.

“Everyone made it so easy, and Hoops made me feel really welcome which was nice. Everyone here wants the best for the squad, and everyone wants whoever is playing to play well so they push each other and that’s what I really like about it.”

Redpath has flourished in his 16 Bath appearances to date since swapping the North West for the South West.

Feeling relaxed and having been given a license to be inventive, his performances in Blue, Black and White have been exciting supporters.

He said: “I’ve come to Bath and just been myself and I’ve not held anything back. I was probably trying to force it a bit too much at Sale.

“Everyone here at the club has allowed me to be myself and that’s so comfortable and makes me so confident in my own ability so anything I can do then to help the team out is a given.

“I feel like a lot of things I needed to work on I’ve picked up and I’ve worked on them. I’ve still got a lot to give and I’m still very early on in my career and I’ve got a lot more I can do. I’m just working hard with the coaches and the players; there are some talented players who I am learning off and they are helping me get the best out of myself.

“I’m someone who enjoys the moment and if I feel a bit pressured or stressed then I probably wouldn’t be myself. I’m allowed to express myself here and try things to an extent without getting a telling off - which is nice! They want to develop me and if you do something too wrong then they will tell you which is what I want. I’m loving the way that it is.”

Since winning his first Scotland cap, Redpath has been sidelined due to a bulging disc. He will make his return on Friday when Bath host London Irish in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

After eight weeks out, the midfielder is relishing the opportunity to grace the Rec under the lights and has hopes of his club going all the way in Europe.

“It would be awesome to win the Challenge Cup and I think we have a shot of doing that if we play well.

“I just can’t wait to be back. I’ve been so bored being injured! I was saying to my dad ‘why do I never get small injuries?’ as it’s always been like eight weeks or 10 weeks or six months and he’s like ‘Cam, it’s just one of those things! Maybe all of yours are just coming at the start of your career’.

“I’m buzzing to be back and the energy I’ve had this week compared to other weeks has been another level. I’m really excited and hopefully I can show that on Friday.”

"IT'S ABOUT PATIENCE, THE PROCESS AND UNDERSTANDING THE OPPORTUNITY WILL COME."

It has been a positive month for the Bath Rugby Academy. Since facing Newcastle Falcons on 13th March, there have been:

Two Premiership debutants in Arthur Cordwell and Max Ojomoh
A first league start for Orlando Bailey
A comprehensive win over Worcester Warriors featuring 10 Academy products
European debuts for Miles Reid, Bailey and Ojomoh
England Under-20s involvement for five players
A 100-game milestone for Beno Obano

Many of the young guns listed are at the beginning of the club pathway, aiming to emulate the roles of Obano, captain Charlie Ewels, Tom Dunn et al. following their graduation to the senior squad.

“You look at the boys that have stepped up into the first team and how important they are now,” academy manager Craig Lilley said.

“You can look at Beno, Ewelsy, our club captain, and Tom Dunn - another who had quite a tough pathway but stuck with it and a few months ago got his first England cap.

“There are some great examples and great role models there that prove if you stick with it and get your processes right, there is an exciting future at the club and you’ll be a part of it.”

With the Premiership Rugby Cup and Premiership Rugby Shield cancelled this season, as well as the late start to the Championship campaign, the senior academy have had to remain patient for first-team opportunities and have taken their chance when offered.

A Bath Rugby academy quintet have recently been involved in behind-closed-doors England Under-20s fixtures against senior Premiership sides in a bid to get important minutes under their belt to continue their development.

Gabe Goss, Ewan Richards and Nahum Merigan all started the latest match at Newcastle Falcons with Tom Carr-Smith and George Worboys featuring from the bench.

“There are some great examples and great role models there that prove if you stick with it and get your processes right, there is an exciting future at the club and you’ll be a part of it.”

“What they’ve tried to do is put some Under-20s activity on for the boys to play and we’ve massively cashed in on that,” Lilley said.

“We’ve had a lot of our players go and train, go and play and Alan Dickens (England U20s head coach) has been brilliant. He’s tried to get some activity for the lads just to get them some game time because it’s been hard as Championship clubs are so saturated with players and there isn’t many games. He’s tried to give them as many opportunities as possible.

“The boys are loving it. It’s a good opportunity to get out and play and get some exposure. Obviously, it’s a little bit scrappy at the moment because they haven’t had much training time together and the squads have changed depending on who was involved in the Premiership.

“Jumping into different environments, listening to different coaches and playing games without much pressure on results… the more experiences they can get like that the better.

“That’s been important for those guys to explore the game a bit more. It gives them so much more confidence and probably a little bit more motivation to train when there is something at the end of the week to aim for.”

Seeing their mates in the Academy thrive for the Bath first team will also help with motivation and continue on their road to hopefully one day cementing a place in the senior group.

The club’s vision is to have a 50 percent homegrown first-team squad, interspersed with world class talent, by 2023.

"It’s not how quickly you get there it’s about getting there and staying there."

With only two years to go, the Academy group may feel restless in their pursuit of being part of that goal but Lilley has an important message for those who are in ‘a rush’.

“It’s about patience, the process and understanding the opportunity will come. That’s the big thing for the boys.

“The younger boys seem to be in such a rush to get there and the big message from me is it’s not a race. It’s not how quickly you get there it’s about getting there and staying there.

“Then it’s about living the process every week, doing the basic things right every week in terms of nutrition, sleep, training, showing your point of difference out on the field consistently and building relationships with coaches.”

Lilley added: “It helps when you see some of the younger boys straight out of school in both the forwards and backs. You see someone like Landi jumping in and getting exposure; you see Ethan (Staddon) who has been involved.

“There are genuine opportunities to come into the first team and put your marker down. That definitely brings an excitement and a realisation especially for the guys who are at school now; the boys who were playing with Ethan and Landi last year. I think it makes them think they’re not a million miles away and if they keep tracking then they will get their opportunity.”

Discover how Bath Rugby are working with Bendac LED Sports Solutions to enhance socially distanced training sessions through the installation of Bendac’s advanced display technology.

VISIT BENDAC GROUP

FREE EASTER BREAK OUT PROGRAMME

We are pleased to be delivering Easter Break Out on behalf of B&NES Council and the Department of Education (DOE) - a series of FREE fun-filled Easter holiday hubs for local vulnerable children and teenagers, supported by a consortia of other Charities and local businesses. The hubs will offer the provision of sport, food and recreational activities.

Hubs will operate Tuesday – Friday (w/c 5th & 12th April) at Southside Youth Hub in Bath, Castle Primary in Keynsham and Welton Rovers FC in Midsomer Norton.

Hub sessions will be available for children and teenagers from across B&NES, who are entitled to Free School Meals (Pupil Premium). This limitation on participant numbers is due to current Covid-19 restrictions - the team are committed to supporting as many young people as permitted across the two-week period.

This vital FREE provision of Easter Break Out will provide a much-needed break for parents, including the opportunity to work without the worry of childcare costs, it will also offer much needed support with food provision and activities for children and young people alike during the school holidays.

Each hub will be offer a holistic approach to activities, children and teens will have the opportunity to take part in craft activities, sports, play, mentoring, DJ’ing, music and much more.

As well as providing food and activities, we along with our partners will signpost families that require further support to relevant agencies for food, counselling and financial assistance or advise.

VISIT THE BATH RUGBY FOUNDATION WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION

NEW GENERATION, NEW CHAPTER!

Ask any Bath supporter about their favourite memories of watching the boys in BB&W over the years and you can bet that many of them would talk about famous European competition games. A couple that spring readily to mind are that night in January 2015 when we beat Toulouse away 35-18, and the Challenge Cup final win against Worcester Warriors in June 2008. Perhaps more relevant to recent performances was the win against Leicester at the Walkers Stadium in 2006 when the 13 men of Bath simply refused to allow Tigers to score!

Of course, one of the most often mentioned 'where you there when' moments was that day in Bordeaux in 1998; a proud moment which, arguably, still to this day influences our expectations as supporters and also adds to the burden of history on our current players. The memory remains fresh. However, we should remember that the Bath teamsheet that day contained one Phil de Glanville and a number of our current team, including Tom de Glanville, hadn’t even been born! Apart from making a number of us feel very old, my point is that we have a new generation of highly talented players including a creditable number of 'young guns' who have come through the Development Pathway and the Academy. Let’s enjoy another European quarter-final and get behind them as they write their own new chapter in our illustrious history.

With the Government Roadmap out of the Covid-19 restrictions now published and the launch of the Season Ticket campaign for 2021/22 coming closer, we can perhaps start to look forward to getting back to the Rec once again. That’ll come as a great relief to my neighbours who must be getting somewhat fed up with the shouts of anguish/frustration/relief/delight that are regularly to be heard emanating from our living room as my wife and I watch the boys on TV! I don’t know about you but I find watching the games live from home very hard, especially when, as in the last couple of games, we’ve really gone through the emotional wringer. In his post match interview, Max Clark said that last week’s game against Zebre wasn’t pretty. I think we’d all agree with that, but given that Zebre’s pack essentially contains the Italy front five, they were always going to be a serious challenge. But do you know what? Even at 21-7 I still thought we would do it. This bunch of players doesn’t fold under pressure. As Max said, they stuck to the gameplan and secured the quarter-final with a powerful, assured second-half performance.

On the BRSC front we were delighted to announce that Tom de Glanville won the February BRSC Try of the Month award for his try against Sale. Well done Tom! We also published our March Newsflash which should have hit Members’ email inboxes on 31st March. Here’s the link in case you missed it.

March newsflash

So we welcome London Irish to the Rec today, only two weeks after a hard, attritional encounter at Brentford which saw the boys in BB&W secure two points and come close to a win from a seemingly impossible position. As Mark Twain said, “it’s the size of the fight in the dog” that counts. This young squad has got talent, determination and a togetherness of spirit which will surely enable them to start to write their own chapters in the history of Bath Rugby. And they can always count on us to do our part.