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BATH RUGBY V SCARLETS

By Bath Rugby

December 11^th, 2020

COACH’S CORNER: STUART HOOPER

Hello,

A huge welcome back to the Rec! It feels incredibly special to share this game with you today. It has been far too long.

Our win against Worcester on the road last week has injected some real positivity into our training and preparations this week.

This week also saw the return of our internationals. They are all back and in good form. I’m excited to see them in Club colours again this weekend as they all have a huge amount to give and they all want to get back to playing for Bath.

As a Club we've won six of the last 10 meetings against Scarlets in all matches with us claiming bragging rights and the traditional Rag Doll with our last win coming in a pre-season friendly back in 2018. The Rag Doll is a great tradition and one of rugby’s rarest.

Today’s match will be tough, make no mistake. We are absolutely thrilled to have 2,000 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 be playing for you, aiming for another big performance and five important points.

We know you’re behind us all the way.

We hope you enjoy the match.

Cheers,

Hoops

CAPTAIN’S COLUMN: CHARLIE EWELS

Hello,

A very long-overdue welcome back to the Rec, to the lucky 2,000 of you that are able to join us here today, and to those of you that will be watching from home.

We are hugely excited to be back playing in front of a crowd again and the opportunity to do this at home is a very exciting prospect to be a part of. Given the year we’ve all experienced and what everyone has been through, it's truly an honour to continue to pull on the Blue, Black and White jersey and play in front of crowds.

Today marks the beginning of our journey into another Heineken Champions Cup campaign, and although we didn’t represent ourselves in the manner we’d wanted to in our last campaign in Europe, we are determined more than ever to make a fresh start and continue to build upon the hard work and determination, that everyone at the Club, has put in over the past few months.

Scarlets are historically a brilliant side and we will come up against it this afternoon, but we firmly believe that if we stick to our structures and remain resilient, and implement the game that we want to play, then we will stand ourselves in a good position to come away with a win.

The Rag Doll is on the line and although it’s a historic tradition, we want to be able to put in a good performance that will enable us to push on into next week where we face La Rochelle over in France.

We hope you enjoy the match this afternoon.

Thanks,

Charlie

VIEW THE DYSON CORRALE

Chairman welcome message - European Rugby Rounds 1&2 2020/21

Only 56 days after Bristol Bears lifted the European Rugby Challenge Cup trophy in Aix-en-Provence, the tournament kicks off again with a new, dynamic format to meet the challenges that club rugby has been presented by the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wherever you are watching the action, the whole EPCR team joins me in hoping that you enjoy it.

When the global health crisis struck, we were well on course to have the final of this tournament in 2019/20 watched live in the stadium by a record attendance, with more than 50,000 expected for a showpiece in Marseille. As we set out on the pathway to the Stade Vélodrome again this term, we will not be swayed from our purpose of lobbying for fans to return to stadiums across Europe.

We believe that it is essential for the sport and for the mental health of a public and of clubs who have suffered enough in recent months. Of course, we say that believing that this can be achieved safely and consistently with guidelines of various governments across other industries.

European club rugby tournaments will be played across eight weekends on an exceptional basis this season and that means 14 runners and riders in this Preliminary Stage of the Challenge Cup. The top eight will progress to an exciting and expanded knockout round, where they will be joined by the clubs classified between fifth and eighth place in each pool of the Heineken Champions Cup. They will form a Round of 16, who will battle it out from the start of April in a series of straight shootouts ahead of the final on Friday 21 May in the South of France.

This tournament features three clubs who are previous winners (Pau, Cardiff Blues, Stade Français Paris) and the pedigree of the participants in the Preliminary Stage is highlighted by a repeat of the 1997 Heineken Cup Final, with twice-European champions Leicester Tigers coming up against the winners that day, Brive.

There is no doubting in the quality of the matches as this tournament goes from strength-to-strength. We thank our broadcast partners – BT Sport, beIN SPORTS and France Télévisions domestically – for their dedication to taking the action to homes across the world, which has been appreciated even more during the pandemic. Their service is supplemented by the online offering through official channels of the tournament online, where streaming is available on matches that are not broadcast via linear or digital broadcasters.

We share this journey with you, the fans, but also with the support of partners Tissot, the Financial Times, Gilbert and Kappa, and hope to be in your company soon once more as we make our way through what promises to be an exciting 2020/21 season.

Yours in Rugby,

Simon Halliday,

Chairman, EPCR

100 SEASONS OF 'THE RAG DOLL'

As Bath Rugby prepare to face Scarlets at the Rec this afternoon, we take a look at a tradition that has existed between these two historic clubs for a century of seasons.

The first recorded game between Bath Rugby and Scarlets was back in 1896, but the special relationship with Llanelli started during the 1920s. Since 1921, the famous ‘Rag Doll’ became the trophy that the teams played for right through to the introduction of leagues, with the three-foot-tall mannequin hanging from the crossbar and decked in the colours of the side which won the last fixture.

According to the late, Peter Hall, formerly Bath’s archivist and father to current Club President, John Hall, research and documentary evidence (newspaper reports and old programmes) strongly suggest that the Rag Doll was first played for on 12th March 1921 when Llanelli (then known as the “Tin Platers”) won 16-0 at Stradey Park. The doll was presented to the winning captain by the President of Llanelli RFC, Mr T.R. Mills – the proprietor of the former Salutation Hotel in the town.

The famous Rag Doll has been contested between these two sides – synonymous with rugby in Wales and England – since 1921, with the three-foot-tall mannequin hanging from the crossbar and decked in the colours of the side which won the last fixture.

The doll has largely worn Scarlet from the 149 games played to 2020, the Scarlets have won 97: Bath 44, with 8 draws.

There is some debate as to the origins of the Rag Doll. Most believe it was presented to Bath by T.R. Mills, the owner of the Salutation Inn, then the headquarters of Llanelli Rugby Club; others say it was the handiwork of another licensee, Bath supporter Rosina Rothery of the Queen’s Head at Box.

There have been a few mannequin-related mishaps along the way. In the 1935-36 season, Llanelli (as Scarlets were then known) mislaid the Rag Doll and instead sent what they saw as a fitting replacement: a can of Felinfoel beer from the oldest brewery in Wales. (In fairness to Llanelli, it was the first-time canned beer had ever been produced outside of the USA.)

More recently, it was official International Rugby Board guidelines rather than absent-mindedness which denied supporters the pleasure of seeing the Rag Doll dangling from its customary position under the crossbar. In 2002, the IRB determined that it should be placed above the protective padding around the posts for the Heineken Cup quarter-final at the Rec.

GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP: ROUNDS 7-10 CONFIRMED

Premiership Rugby have confirmed Bath Rugby’s fixtures from round 7 to 10 in the Gallagher Premiership, starting with a mouth-watering West Country derby against Bristol Bears, with all fixtures in the competition now announced up to mid-February.

Bath Rugby’s short trip to Ashton Gate on Friday 29 January has been selected as the first live match on BT Sport from the round.

The Blue, Black and White then host Harlequins at the Rec before travelling to the AJ Bell Stadium to face Sale Sharks on a cold February evening.

Round 10 kicks-off with Bath Rugby returning to the main event on BT Sport for another West Country derby, this time against Gloucester Rugby at the Rec.

VIEW ALL FIXTURES HERE

LIVE & ALIVE AT THE REC THIS SEASON

Firstly, we want to say thank you! To all our new Club & Club+ Members, we are incredibly grateful for the support you have shown us since we launched the new scheme back in November.

We are very excited to be rewarding your loyalty and welcoming back 2,000 of our Members to the Rec to watch the team kick off our Champions Cup campaign against Scarlets on Saturday 12th December.

This is the first of many games we hope to play in front of you across the 2020/21 season, which allows us to continue to connect and share this new season together and critically supports the survival of our Club.

But, will you be at the biggest games this season?

Don’t forget, a Membership is your only route back to the Rec for the visits of Leicester Tigers, Bristol Bears and Gloucester Rugby in the New Year. For your exclusive access to a seat at the Rec, as well as monthly prize giveaways, surprise phone calls from our playing squad and a percentage discount off our brand new merchandise range, purchase a Bath Rugby Membership before Wednesday 16th December. There is something for everyone this season!

No matter where you are, who you are or how you support us, we hear you and we are here for you!

BUY NOW

ALEX GRAY: INSIDE THE NFL

Daring to dream – Alex Gray, a trailblazer in his sport switching from playing Rugby Union in England’s second tier, with Yorkshire Carnegie, to heading over the pond in pursuit of the American dream as he chased a career in the NFL.

Taking it back to mid-2017, Atlanta Falcons signed Gray to their practice squad in the position of tight-end. The then 26-year-old left his life behind - his friends, family and even put his career on the line – but the end goal paid dividends. Gray explained in brief, his journey from rugby union to making it to the National Football league.

Gray stated: “The journey from being a rugby player and going over to the NFL was a tricky one. My highlights video on YouTube were being viewed by some scouts, which was crazy, and then the next thing I know I get a call from my agent asking if I’d like to go and meet them. I met up with a couple of them and they sold me the American dream and asked if I wanted to make the transition then they can take me away to Florida for eight weeks."

“They couldn’t promise me on landing with a team, but they could train me and take me to a Combine, and they took it from there. "

So, I did that, and it was a steep learning curve for sure. I did the Combine and was deemed worthy of a shot and ended up signing with the Atlanta Falcons, which is where I was for three years. It was a crazy experience but amazing."

Upon finding out that his dream would become a reality, Gray reflected on the moment he found out, reiterated how important the International Player Pathway Programme is, and explained how he overcame the stardom that comes with being a world-renowned athlete.

The 29-year-old continued: “When I found out that I was signing with the Atlanta Falcons, it was just crazy. It was so surreal. I grew up on playing Madden on the PlayStation and seeing the odd game on the TV and the Superbowl, you never ever think that you could have that opportunity."

“I had been working very hard on myself personally and physically all throughout my rugby career and for the universe to throw me a bone like that it was an amazing time. I think I had just missed out on the Olympics."

“I played my first game against the Miami Dolphins one year to the day that those guys were getting a silver medal that I had missed out on. That whole journey was a special moment and to find out that you’re going to be an NFL player, it was just really hard to believe at the time."

“Without the International Player Pathway, it would have been very difficult for me. Just getting the coaching insight more than anything. Anyone can go away and work on their 40-time, bench press or their catching but the real difficulty with the NFL is the S’s and O’s – the inside of the game."

“Learning different techniques, learning coverages, learning packages also zone and man cover – blitz coverage too. The terminology and gameplay that, when you watch on television you just don’t realise exactly what is happening on the field."

“Now that I have played in the NFL, people always ask me but I can’t watch a game of football anymore for the enjoyment, because everyone else just watches the ball, and the big throws, and catches but I am seeing coverages, the plays, what routes everyone is running and how that all fits in. Being on the inside has ruined it as a spectator sport.”

Learning something completely new is always a challenging task for anyone with ambition, whether it is a trade, skill or technique, but to pick up an entirely new sport that has so many different technicalities and one with such an art to its three-team game (Offence, Defence and Special Teams), you could have forgiven Gray for giving up, but the thought never crossed his mind – in fact, it spurred him on further.

He said: “It involved a lot of late nights and early mornings. We would be doing 7am-9pm every day in training camp and then 9pm to 11pm I’d be studying at my desk learning the plays for the game and the next session because as I said before you can’t mess up a couple of times in a row."

“You want to be adding value and you want to be performing well if you want to stick around and stay in the building. To be an NFL player, you have to do those things. I had some unbelievable support from the Atlanta Falcons and the coaches, a couple of them were Pro Bowl coaches and Super Bowl winners too."

“It was tough – it was a different language at times, you learn football, but you also learn the slang that goes with it and when people describe things to you, they all use different terminologies."

“It doesn’t compare to rugby at all. Everyone always asks are they quite similar games – the answer to that is no. I wish they were more similar but the level of detail that you have to go to in American football and the pressures that come with it are just on a completely different scale.”

Having experienced both sports with very differing environments, the cross-sport convert described what he missed most about rugby union and what complexities there are to be an athlete in the NFL.

Gray stated: “There is definitely a bigger family feel in rugby – I can’t lie, that is something I missed. I think being in the NFL definitely changed me as a competitor – just having to turn up and fight for your job every day. There is only 5% of the team that is guaranteed a spot in the team and everyone else is on a day to day rolling contract.

“That is the opportunity that I wanted. I wanted to go in there and know that my back was up against the wall and I wanted to know that I had earned the right to be at the very top of the sport. It was a very dog eat dog nature in the NFL – you have to perform, or they will find someone else who will. You can’t afford to have two or three bad days, you can’t afford to be down about the last game or the last training session you’ve had, you just have to turn up and rock it."

I am very excited to get in with a good group of boys here at Bath Rugby, they’ve already made me feel very welcome and it’s the rugby I remember. It’s the one part of rugby that I really missed – the comradery.

The question that most supporters from both sports will want to know, and one that very few can actually answer, is what sport hits hardest? – and Gray can give us the insight we’ve all been questioning.

He added: “So, I’ve had this conversation with a lot of the football guys. I think for sheer impact American football is and a lot of the time guys have a 20-yard run up at you and you don’t know where they are coming from because your head is turned or you’re catching the ball, there aren’t really any tackling rules, so you can take a guy out in the air and all that type of stuff."

“For pure attritional damage to the body, rugby is tough. You are playing nine months a year – we are about to do a 22-game stretch and its 32 if you stay in all competitions, that’s a tough ask for anybody. Sheer impact is football but for getting beaten up is definitely rugby union.”

A combination of Covid-19 restrictions and visa issues recently left Gray stuck at a midpoint for seven months and decided that now, after three years in the Falcons practice squad, he wanted to return to England to play rugby again, as he still has ambitions in the sport.

Gray said: “There is still a lot left that I want to achieve in rugby. Cards on the table, the NFL was right at the time for me, it was a chance for me to decide who I wanted to be, how I wanted to compete as an athlete, who I want to be as a person and how I want to live my life.

“I do realise that as much as it meant to me and the rewards that came with it, there is a lot of people that back home, maybe the NFL doesn’t mean a lot to. I still have aspirations to play for England, I want to win silverware here at Bath Rugby and how I can give back to the people that have helped me."

“A lot of people have had a part to play in my rugby journey, but for me to achieve some really special stuff would be for them. All I am trying to do now is to inspire people and achieve things. I’ve seen through the NFL how many people you can touch and how many people you can show a pathway for."

It doesn’t matter what stage of life you’re at – whether you’re wanting to change job, set out on a new journey or whatever it is, I want to be able to hold that example of ‘you can do it,’ that’s what I want to embody now. It goes deeper than rugby and the NFL, especially through times like this that we’re living through, you can show people that they can do anything that they want to do.

With the laws of the game and general style changing in the last four years, the 29-year-old explained the processes he’s currently going through to enable him a return to the sport following his switch back to rugby union.

Gray added: “There is a transition period. I know it’s a process and not everything is going to go perfectly, it might do, but I am not banking on that. My focus is just turning up every day and working as hard as I can whilst learning everything I can along the way.

“I am spending a lot of time with the coaches and I am asking my new teammates questions Rugby is rugby at the end of the day, there is only so many ways that you can play it, but to get up to speed, I’ve been using an American football for four years, so I’m trying to get the skills up and the conditioning because both sports demand different things from the body.

“The guys here have a really good plan for me and that is a big reason why I came here. I researched different teams in the UK where I think could facilitate the move for me. The quality of the staff we have here is outstanding, add that to the facilities and the world-class players that are at Bath Rugby, it was a no brainer."

REVISIT THE MATCH REPORT FROM JANUARY 2018

CROESO SCARLETS

DIRECTOR OF RUGBY – GLENN DELANEY

Glenn Delaney is in his first season as head coach of the Scarlets having been promoted to the role following the departure of fellow New Zealander Brad Mooar in the summer.

Delaney arrived in Llanelli from Super Rugby side the Highlanders and has a wealth of experience in both southern and northern hemisphere rugby.

Born in Christchurch, he had spells playing in Japan, France and England where he was part of London Irish’s Powergen Cup-winning squad in 2002, making 68 appearances for the club.

He spent seven years as Director of Rugby at Nottingham before becoming Irish’s Forwards Coach, head coach and finally Head of Rugby Operations.

Delaney returned to New Zealand to join Mitre 10 Cup side Canterbury in December 2016 and went on to lead the side to a ninth title in 10 years. He was Defence Coach with the Highlanders before accepting an invitation to join the Scarlets.

Delaney was Defence Coach in his first season at Parc y Scarlets, but when Mooar agreed to link up with the All Blacks national side, his compatriot stepped up into the hot seat.

ONES TO WATCH...

Sione Kalamafoni

Sione has made a big impact in Llanelli since his arrival from Leicester Tigers this summer with the experienced Tongan international No. 8 giving the Scarlets plenty of go-forward with his relentless carrying. He is also one of the leading tacklers in the Guinness PRO14 after the opening eight rounds.

Prior to his three-year spell at Welford Road, the 37-cap back-rower spent five seasons with Premiership rivals Gloucester, while his first experience of English rugby had been with Nottingham when Scarlets head coach Glenn Delaney was in charge of the Championship club. Kalamafoni has featured in three World Cups for the islanders.

Gareth Davies

Davies will make his 200th Scarlets appearance when he runs out onto The Rec this afternoon.

Widely regarded as one of the most dangerous attacking nines in the game, Davies highlighted his try-scoring potential with a trademark try in last weekend’s Autumn Nations Cup win over Italy, which took him within five tries of Gareth Edwards’s Welsh scrum-half record. A late addition to the Lions party in 2017, Davies will have his sights set on the main tour squad next summer.

Leigh Halfpenny

A veteran of three British & Irish Lions tours, Leigh Halfpenny remains a key weapon for Scarlets and Wales.

Regarded as one of the deadliest goalkickers in world rugby, Halfpenny opened the season with a record-equalling nine penalty successes in the Guinness PRO14 clash with Munster and boasts vast experience on the international and club stage, where he has been a European winner with Toulon. The full-back arrived in Llanelli in 2017 and has been a big fans' favourite in West Wales.

SCARLETS' SEASON SO FAR...

Missing so many players on international duty for a large chunk of the season’s opening block was always going to be a challenge for Glenn Delaney and his coaching team.

Scarlets looked well set for a first-round Guinness PRO14 victory over Munster at Parc y Scarlets thanks to the unerring boot of Leigh Halfpenny, but the Irish province produced a trademark late ‘snatch and grab’ to plunder the win thanks to a last-gasp penalty.

A disappointing defeat at Glasgow followed before a young Scarlets side held on for a gritty win in difficult conditions in Treviso.

Edinburgh edged home 6-3 in Llanelli in the round four, then Scarlets were given a scare by Zebre before claiming a second ‘W’ of the campaign.

Two testing trips to Ireland brought out the best of Delaney’s side. Two tries from flying wing Ryan Conbeer helped the Scarlets on their way to a morale-boosting win at Galway’s Sportsground, then the West Walians came agonisingly close to ending the unbeaten run of Ulster in Belfast, playing their part in an eight-try thriller that was won 26-24 by the home side.

The much-anticipated clash with defending champions Leinster was postponed because of Covid, meaning all eyes have been focused on this afternoon’s mouthwatering European tie against Bath

There was a real familiarity about last month’s Champions Cup draw, which pitted the Scarlets against their old ‘rag doll’ rivals as well as French giants Toulon, who they have met five times in the last three seasons, including three tight tussles in the Challenge Cup in 2019-20.

A side with a proud tradition in the tournament, the Scarlets will be hoping to channel the memories of their last European visit to The Rec in 2018, when they produced one of their finest attacking displays in the competition to claim a crucial win on the way to the semi-finals.

They will be bolstered by the return of the international cavalry with 13 players having pulled on the Wales jersey this autumn, while back-rower Blade Thomson (Scotland) and lock Tevita Ratuva (Fiji) have also been in Test action.

SENIOR ACADEMY UPDATE

Bath Rugby’s Senior Academy programme is underway for the 2020/2021 Season and our players are making great strides of progression despite limited game time opportunities with the COVID-19 pandemic still disrupting games below the Gallagher Premiership.

The mission is to attain a 50% homegrown squad by 2023, and despite the pandemic throwing a curveball to proceedings, the Senior Academy have been continuing to strive towards this goal with the continuation of training and development, and players getting senior opportunities.

The squad returned to training in mid-July after the initial lockdown period where they had four months of adhering to specified home programmes, which were aimed at keeping them appropriately conditioned and ready for a return to rugby. When the players re-grouped back in the Farleigh training environment, the focus was to ensure they received extra contact time with our coaching staff to meet their individual needs.

Players have also trained together in specific Senior Academy sessions both in the gym and on the field in order to maximise their development by aligning their training with those at a similar stage to them.

Academy Manager Craig Lilley said: “As the 2019/20 Gallagher Premiership campaign concluded, it was great to see a number of players involved in the first-team squad. Both Orlando Bailey and Kieran Verden made their debuts back in September in the home 40-15 win against Worcester Warriors.

“When the 2019/2020 Season came to a close, the Academy boys continued their training throughout the short off-season and worked tirelessly at home to further progress their development.

“Many of our Academy players live in accommodation within the grounds of the Farleigh House estate. This gives them the opportunity to use the outstanding facilities on a daily basis, alongside our Senior Academy Physiotherapist and Strength and Conditioning coaches.”

Player Developments

The start of the new season has seen some really positive changes in the player's day-to-day programming. Players have been challenged to work hard off the pitch by producing Individual Development Plans.

Lilley said: “We want our players to be proactive in their efforts to learn by being aware of their strengths and limitations and using personally set goals and task-related strategies to guide them.

“The biggest frustration at the moment for our young men is the lack of competitive fixtures. With there being no Championship, National 1, BUCS Super Rugby or Premiership Shield Competitions it has been very tough to replicate match practice.

“England U20s have, however, been putting on North vs South fixtures each week at St George’s Park throughout November and December and a number of our players have been involved in these games. This has been an excellent opportunity for these players to compete in fixtures at an appropriate level.”

Due to the number of Senior International Players that are away at the moment, this has provided even more opportunity for Senior Academy Players to gain selection into the first team matchday squad.

Ethan Staddon is the latest in a line of home-grown players to make his senior debut, with the lock making his first appearance against Worcester Warriors last weekend coming on in the 68th minute in the 33-17 win at Sixways Stadium. Ethan is now the youngest ever Bath Rugby player to play in the Premiership at just 18 years and 156 days old, which is an outstanding achievement.

In Staddon’s post-match interview, he thanked his Bath Rugby Academy coaches Ryan Davies and Mark Lilley for their belief in him alongside his grassroots club, Dorchester RFC, for his floodlit evenings as a young boy playing and developing.

In a very raw and powerful moment, first-team hooker Tom Dunn, who was recently awarded his first England cap, was so blown away by Staddon’s debut that he and the entire team hugged and congratulated the 18-year-old after the game.

Lilley continued: “Ethan has worked extremely hard both on and off the field in recent years and it was great to see his efforts rewarded on Saturday. We are all very proud of what he achieved and is another example of a homegrown player that has progressed through our partnership with Beechen Cliff.

“We feel that Ethan can go on and achieve great things with our Club for a sustained period of time. He is a young man with lots of potential and we are looking forward to helping him maximise this moving forward.

“It is exciting to watch the Senior Academy group develop themselves both as players and individuals. They have grown up together both on and off the field and the Academy team are looking forward to continuing to support these young men to achieve great things, both on and off the field throughout their shared journey in the City of Bath.”

Schedule Enhancement

There have been a number of positive changes to the structure of the Academy and its weekly running schedule, with the main focus aimed at maximising development opportunities for the Senior Academy group.

The weekly scheduling now includes Personal Development slots specifically for the Senior Academy. These slots include regular sessions with our Sports Psychologists, Joe Dixon and Kate Warriner, where they will be working through numerous topics within small groups.

Rachel Williams and Chris Bakker have been promoted from the Junior Academy where they have laid fantastic foundations throughout the pathway and at our partnership school, Beechen Cliff. They will be working closely with Byron Field (Head of Medical and Rehabilitation) and PJ Wilson (Head of Strength and Conditioning) to ensure the Senior Academy programme is well-planned and fully connected to the senior programme to ensure players can transition as effectively as possible.

Bakker and Williams will also be ensuring the programme addresses players’ individual needs and they will be delivering a variety of workshops and scheduled activities coving areas such as preparation, recovery, sleep and nutrition. In addition to this, Academy Operations Manager, Kara Gonzalez will also be working with players from a lifestyle perspective, supporting players to dual manage their education and other interests away from rugby.

The players will work with the Club’s Head Chef, Mike Bache, who will be delivering cooking lessons to players within small groups at Farleigh using his vast knowledge in the field and also utilising his experiences from his recent involvement with England Rugby.

Academy Manager Craig Lilley has been using his expertise to work with groups of players to reflect on their experiences each week, with the aim to help players make sense of the journey they are on to ensure they are more self-aware and self-regulating young professionals.

The aim is to help our players engage more fully with our environment at Farleigh House, and to help accelerate their development by maximising the impact of their daily experiences and interactions.

‘CHRISTMAS BREAKOUT’ – WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS

TEXT – BATH TO 70085 TO DONATE £5 TO SUPPORT CHRISTMAS BREAKOUT

Bath Rugby Foundation is helping some of the city’s most vulnerable children and young adults fall back in love with Christmas by delivering ‘Christmas BreakOut’ - a magical and nurturing holiday programme full of the festive spirit.

'Christmas Break Out' has been developed to allow children, young people and their families to enjoy together, vital nutrition for body and mind through healthy meals and fun mood-boosting games and activities, in a safe and festive environment.

Families can sign up to a series of sessions that are running throughout December in Bath and surrounding areas such as Keynsham, Midsomer Norton and Combe Down. All families, with children up to age 14 are welcome at ‘Christmas BreakOut’ where they will find a safe and joyful space to play and spend time together.

The Christmas camps are especially focused on supporting families who are entitled to receive free school meals and those that have found lockdown challenging due to being significantly affected by the economic and social impact of the pandemic.

Lynne Fernquest, Bath Rugby Foundation, CEO commented: “Christmas is a time of year where our hearts are full, and many people try to help those most in need. This year, that need is the largest it’s ever been.

"Thousands of families in Bath and beyond face their toughest times yet after a year of redundancy and health worries caused by the pandemic. Child poverty is now on the precipice of becoming a national crisis as over 8,000 children in Bath alone are reported to have fallen below the poverty line this year.

“Knowing this and the pressure this time of year brings, we reached out to our community to harness our collective power, and direct this toward the children and young people who are in most need.”

All ‘Christmas BreakOut’ activities will be centred around food and nutrition and camps will also offer families the opportunity to take part in a range of sports including; Rugby, Football, Target and Boccia as well as the option of enjoying some fun arts and crafts.

At the end of each camp, each family will be offered a nutritious hot meal to take home with them to enjoy as a family, as well as a food parcel to enjoy over the festive period.

“JONATHAN DAVIES, I’VE GOT MY EYE ON YOU, BOYO...”

It’s funny how some games trigger memories. This match takes me back to a day in the late 1980s when Bath were playing Llannelli. Picture the scene - it’s a cold, almost certainly wet winter’s afternoon at the Rec and the Welsh are in town.

As usual it’s been a hard, attritional match with the “rag doll” at stake, and deep in the second-half the scores are close. Llanelli are awarded a penalty and Jonathan Davies starts to line up his kick. A respectful hush falls over the Rec but just as he is about to start his run-up a stentorian Welsh voice bellows out the above warning from about three seats away from where I’m sitting.

Jonathan Davies turns, places his hands on his hips and fixes the miscreant with a steely glare and then, player that he was, proceeds to place the ball between the posts with the minimum of fuss to generous applause from the Rec faithful. The modern game’s got a lot going for it but sometimes I think we might have lost some of the characters!

On the BRSC front, we’re still working hard to keep you up to date with all the latest news and trying to find ways of delivering our most popular events. We hope you enjoyed our recent “Newsflash” with the interview with Luke Charteris and the article from one of our members in the USA! Watch out for the next edition which will be an Annual Awards “special” with messages from the recipients and hopefully a link to some video.

The lead up to Christmas wouldn’t be the same without the BRSC Annual Charity Quiz. This year it’s taking place at 1900 on 21st December over “zoom” with questions as usual prepared for us by Dave Stock. It’s just for fun this year so why not join in? there’s still time to enter using this link:

take the quiz here

It’s free but we’d welcome voluntary donations in support of this year’s BRSC Charity, the Bath Rugby Foundation “Sponsor a Student scheme”. And talking of the Foundation, we’re all looking forward to the event that they’re hosting especially for BRSC Members on Monday. It should be a great evening!

But before then we’ve got the small matter of a European Cup game this afternoon. After a difficult start to the season, the boys put in an incredible shift at Worcester last week in hugely challenging circumstances. Let’s hope they can bring that “dog” to today’s game because it’s going to be a tough one.

The lucky 2,000 of us who are going to be at the Rec for this match have a big job to do as well. So to paraphrase my Welsh friend from all those years ago, “We’ve got our eyes on you boys!” It’s been a long nine months since the roar of the Rec has been heard over Bath. Let’s make sure it is today!