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BATH RUGBY V NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

By Bath Rugby

April 22^nd, 2022

COACH'S CHECK IN: NEAL HATLEY

In this week's Coach's Check In with Compeed, Head Coach Neal Hatley chats about what the team's focus for the remainder of the season.

STILL TIME TO VOTE FOR YOUR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

In association with Bendac, Bath Rugby is proud to announce the return of the Supporters' Player of the Season.

You will be asked to pick from a list of eight players, put forward after much deliberation from the Rugby department here at Bath Rugby.

Who will you choose as your standout star of the Blue, Black and White for the 2021/22 season?

Will it be a young gun who has you excited for the future or an experienced name whose lead the side admirably?

The award will be presented at the annual Bath Rugby Awards dinner, sponsored by Pol Roger, which will be held on Saturday 30 April.

Who will follow in the footsteps of recent winners, such as Matt Banahan, Tom Dunn and Ruaridh McConnochie?

WHO WILL GET YOUR VOTE?

Orlando Bailey
Tom de Glanville
Josh McNally
Will Muir
Max Ojomoh
Semesa Rokoduguni
Ben Spencer
Sam Underhill

PRTV LIVE TO SHOW BATH RUGBY V SAINTS

Bath Rugby's upcoming match against Northampton Saints in the Gallagher Premiership is available to watch on PRTV Live!

If you don’t have a ticket for the match, you can watch the game via PRTV Live – Premiership Rugby’s new pilot service streaming directly to fans.

PRTV Live will show the Bath Rugby games that are not broadcast by BT Sport or ITV and started with the win over Newcastle Falcons and then the home derby victory against Bristol Bears.

This weekend’s match against Saints will be available to purchase via the Premiership Rugby website NOW with our very own Ruaridh McConnochie on co-commentary duty!

PRTV Live is now available via desktop. A match pass will cost £4.99, and a full round pass will cost £6.99.

ROSS BATTY: LIFE AFTER RUGBY

At the end of the 2020/21 season, Ross Batty hung up his boots and prepared for life after rugby.

The former hooker embarked on a new journey with Stonewood Builders, one he is thoroughly enjoying.

We caught up with the Bath Rugby legend to discuss how he is getting on and to see what sporting retirement looks like.

ROAD TO 2023/24: WOMEN AND GIRLS

In May this year, Bath Rugby unveiled the club’s commitment to the growth and sustainability of women and girls’ rugby in the region.

Since the announcement, there have been several exciting developments that will help guide the club through the three-year roadmap culminating in an application to the Allianz Premier 15s. The following four transformational objectives were established in May, which will need to be achieved by the 2023/24 season.

PLAY - To double the number of registered players across our region, supported by the appointment of a new Women’s Rugby Development Lead

SUSTAIN - To develop a sustainable and inclusive pathway to the elite game across our region for players and coaches; achieved through partnering with clubs, schools and universities, and supported by the appointment of a new Pathway Lead

PERFORM - To form a professional women’s team, partnering with Bath Rugby Ladies, with the ambition of being ready to join the Allianz Premier 15s in the next licence cycle

PROMOTE - To promote female role models and raise the profile of the women and girls’ game across our region, leveraging the club’s marketing and communication channels and those of our commercial partners to effect positive change

Read about the three-year strategy

DOUBLE HEADER ANOTHER GREAT SUCCESS

Our last Saturday fixture at the Rec was a special one for Bath Rugby Ladies who ran out at the home of Bath Rugby for the second time this season and ended their campaign on a high with an emphatic victory over Buckingham Swans Ladies.

The occasion was even more memorable for hooker Hannah Stephens whose mum was in attendance – the first time she had seen her daughter play for a number of years.

“I finally had my mum come up and watch me for the first time in three years!” she said.

“It’s been amazing. Everyone has been supportive; the build-up and everything has been incredible.

“All my friends and family were here, all the girls that I’ve coached… seeing everyone enjoying themselves and seeing how much of an inspiration we are to young girls in this area has been incredible.”

Stephens scored one of 12 tries in a 76-10 scoreline as Bath finished third in the Championship South 1, missing out on a place in the play-offs on points difference.

The front row is confident the team’s work this season will stand them in good stead to go on and achieve great things next term.

“Throughout the season we’ve built and built, we’ve clicked. Everything we’ve done in training has been put down on our matchdays.

“We were unfortunate to miss out on the play-offs but next year is our year!”

BATH RUGBY 30-24 NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

Bath recorded a bonus-point victory over Northampton to seal a Champions Cup spot in a tense match at The Rec.

The hosts needed a point from the game for a top-eight finish but that was in the balance for large parts as a much-changed Saints gave a battling display.

Taqele Naiyaravoro scored two tries and set up a third to give the visitors a 19-15 half-time advantage.

Bath had four tries ruled out but were patient and a late breakaway score from Josh Bayliss secured a five-point win.

BATH RUGBY V NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

After defeat to Edinburgh Rugby ended Bath Rugby’s European campaign, captain Charlie Ewels insists the focus for the remainder of the campaign needs to about ‘pride’ and ‘passion’ for the club and its supporters.

“Every game now is an opportunity to show what you are about and what this club is about,” he said.

“It’s playing for pride and for passion. We’ve got two more games in front of our fans and that’s two more opportunities to repay the faith.”

The repaying of the faith starts this Saturday when Northampton Saints visit the Rec. The Blue, Black and White have won their past six home matches against Saints with the last match of the 2020/21 season proving one to remember.

In the closing stages, Josh McNally ripped the ball out of Saints hands and set up Josh Bayliss for one of the tries of the season; stepping through the Northampton defence and running the ball from his own half to score with the clock in the red.

Bath have been victorious in their past six home Premiership meetings with Northampton and will be hoping to make it a seventh as they look to end the season on a high.

Full preview

HEAD TO HEAD

Bath Rugby have won their last six meetings with Northampton Saints at the Rec, dating back to February 2017.

Semesa Rokoduguni, Taulupe Faletau, Josh Bayliss, Will Stuart, Joe Cokanasiga, Jacques du Toit and Sam Underhill have all scored tries for Bath against Saints in that sequence.

Saints have their danger men too with Rory Hutchinson and Taqele Naiyaravoro both enjoying two tries each at the Rec in recent times.

ONE TO WATCH: ALEX MITCHELL

Scrum-half Mitchell came through the Saints Academy having previously been in the Sale Sharks youth setup.

He debuted at senior level in 2017 and helped the Northampton second side win back-to-back Premiership Shield titles.

Since then, he has established himself as one of Northampton's key players and earned international recognition in November 2021, winning his first England cap against Tonga.

Mitchell has been in fine form in the Premiership this season, scoring nine tries, making 13 clean breaks and beating 50 defenders.

BATH RUGBY RESIDENTIALS 2022

Bath Rugby Residentials are the closest experience a child can get to training like a professional rugby player.

We have a number of Summer camps coming up. Here's an insight on to what a Bath Rugby Residential is like.

10 ACADEMY PLAYERS CALLED UP BY ENGLAND

Bath Rugby Academy is always proud when its players represent the club on the international stage and 10 players have been given the opportunity to do just that of late.

Under-18s duo Sam Harris (pictured) and Arthur Green played for England Under-18s in a friendly win against Wales in March, the latter scoring a try in the 37-20 victory, and Harris would have had a second opportunity against France but for Covid.

England then selected a squad for the U18 Six Nations Festival in France which Green was included in while Harris missed out due to the age group rules.

Sherborne School Number 8 Green (pictured in the England U18 squad below) featured in all three of England’s tournament matches, starting the first two, helping his country to three wins out of three against Wales, Italy and Scotland.

“Arthur did very well,” Academy Manager Craig Lilley said.

“We were really pleased with his performances. He made some good carries and we’ve worked really hard with his line-out this year so to see him go up in the Six Nations as part of an England line-out was great to see.”

Harris will have another opportunity to pull on the white of England after being named in the Under-19s squad for a camp in Italy.

The Millfield School fly-half will be joined in the group by Josh Dingley (Marlborough College), Mackenzie Graham, Archie Maggs and Jasper Spandler (all Beechen Cliff School), all of whom have experienced the senior environment at Bath Rugby this season.

“Sam has been called up into the Under-19s squad because of his progression with Millfield, Bath and his performance against Wales Under-18s,” Lilley said.

“It’s a huge achievement for him to be recognised at this level and another chance for him to develop his game.”

“It’s a huge achievement for him to be recognised at this level and another chance for him to develop his game.

“The other boys have earned opportunities for Bath in training and some in senior matches this season. This will be a great chance for them to go away with their own age group and show what they have learned in the senior environment.”

Four of Bath Rugby’s Under-18 squad will go away with England Under-17s for a development camp at the end of April.

Rory Cameron, Raff Weston, Billy Sela and James Short (all Beechen Cliff School) all contributed to Bath’s U18 Academy League campaign and have earned their place in the international squad for their efforts.

Lilley concluded: “All four players stepped up an age to play Under-18s rugby for us and they have all played very well for us and their schools.

“Over the past few weeks, they have become fully integrated with the Senior Squad to eat with them, train alongside them and gym with them. This was another good experience for those guys which will hold them in good stead for the future.”

“They have been given this opportunity to go away to this development camp to have good contact time with coaches and put their best foot forward to hopefully be selected for the tour to South Africa this summer.”

A SPECIAL THANK YOU!

It’s been a rollercoaster couple of years for Bath Rugby Foundation’s 152 strong army of Bath Half marathon runners who have tirelessly continued to train, fundraise, and show their support for the charity, despite four frustrating postponements to their race date.

Every runner deserves a big ‘well done’ and ‘thank you’ for sticking with us, despite any frustrations felt, each time the date was moved back. We fully appreciate and understand that it’s not easy to get and stay race ready, so we are extremely grateful to EVERYONE who has remained committed to the cause. This wonderful group of selfless people really are helping us to change the lives of young people across B&NES and within our local community.

PRESIDENT'S LOUNGE: LYNNE FERNQUEST

This week's President's Lounge sees John Hall catch up with Bath Rugby Foundation CEO Lynne Fernquest.

A WARM WELCOME FROM BRSC

With only two home matches remaining this season, opportunities to gain points at the Rec in front of a supportive crowd are limited.

This season has been a challenging one for everyone associated with Bath Rugby, fans, players and staff alike. On days where points and wins were hard to come by, when the air was cold and the mood low, it was sometimes hard to keep the faith. But the point is—we do keep the faith.

That is why the team will run out today at a packed out Rec, it is why fans travelled nearly 400 miles last weekend to watch Bath take on Edinburgh and it is why so many of us have already renewed or applied for season tickets for next year. Blue, Black and White runs through many of us like a stick of rock and I believe we should be proud of our support during one of the toughest seasons that I remember.

The moments of sporting joy may have been rare this season, but they have been especially sweet when they have finally arrived; Tom de Glanville’s winning try at the end of the Premiership match against Bristol is a case in point. Unsurprisingly, Tom won our Try of the Month award for March with this amazing score.

In Bath Rugby Supporters’ Club news, we are continuing to have a BRSC presence at both The Swift Half and at our gazebo at the clubhouse end of the ground on match days. We’ve been doing a brisk trade in our new merchandise, especially (and unsurprisingly!) our beer carriers.

We are busy planning for our two next big events, our AGM and our annual awards evening. The AGM is scheduled for Wednesday 8th of June in the First Office Suite at the Rec. More details will be sent to members soon. We will also be sending out a Save The Date in May to let you know about our awards evening later in the summer. Not only will this be the first awards event that we have been able to hold for a few years due to the pandemic, but it will celebrate our 25th anniversary! We are already planning for our silver celebrations to be one to remember—look out for more information soon.