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MATCHDAY PROGRAMME: BRISTOL BEARS (GP: R3)

Saturday 5 October 2024

By Bath Rugby

October 4^th, 2024

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MATCHDAY PROGRAMME: BRISTOL BEARS (GP: R3)

Welcome back to The Rec and firstly, a huge thank you to everyone who made our season opener one to remember.

From the tunnel of noise to the atmosphere at the run-out, Friday night under the lights against Northampton Saints was truly special and that comes from you, the Blue, Black and White family.

Last weekend’s performance in Round 2 against Leicester Tigers saw us return with four points from Mattioli Woods Welford Road, sitting us second in the league table after two fixtures.

Recent history tells us it’s not an easy place to get a positive result, this being our first away win there since August 2020, so huge credit to Johann and the team for bringing that run of losses to an end.

Congratulations to both Ross Molony and Vilikesa Sela on making their Bath Rugby debuts in that game. They join an illustrious list of players who will forever be part of the club’s long and proud history with the player legacy numbers of #2955 and #2956, respectively.

Congratulations also to both Ollie Lawrence and Will Butt for their Premiership Rugby ‘Player of the Month’ nominations for September after their outstanding starts to the season.

As we move onto Round 3, we’re back home to take on our closest rivals, Bristol Bears, in an occasion that always sees a fierce competition on the pitch.

I am delighted to say that our club captain, Ben Spencer, will be making his 100th appearance for Bath Rugby when he runs out in front of The Rec faithful on Saturday.

Ben typifies the expression of ‘leading by example’ and is an outstanding professional and person both on and off the field, hugely respected by everyone at the club.

We welcome the visiting players, staff, and travelling supporters for Saturday’s West Country derby and what will be a bumper crowd, enjoying everything The Rec has to offer on matchday.

It was great to see so much going on at our fan village for the first game of the season and, collectively, the club’s brilliant staff are working so hard behind the scenes to ensure that continues to be the case this weekend, and throughout the season.

In my welcome for the Saints game, I touched briefly upon the changes to the Academy territories as part of the Professional Game Partnership (PGP). The club will be sharing further details in the next week in terms of the expansion of our new catchment area.

Suffice to say this presents our Academy and Grassroots teams with an exciting opportunity to collaborate closely with clubs and schools and foster new relationships with stakeholders, parents, and partners across the region.

Looking ahead to Saturday’s 15:05 kick-off, we wish the very best to Johann and the team. We know how much the players feed off the noise from all four sides of The Rec so let’s raise the roof and show how we are all behind them.

COYB!

Tarquin

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100 FOR CAPTAIN SPENCER AND DU TOIT RETURNS

Bath Rugby Captain, Ben Spencer, will reach his 100th cap in Blue, Black and White this weekend, leading his team out in front of The Rec faithful to take on Bristol Bears.

The Bath and England scrum-half has been in fine form for both his club and country over the past year, leading them as Captain to a first Gallagher Premiership Final in nine years and seeing him return to the England set-up in the 2024 Six Nations and Summer Tour.

Elsewhere in the side, fresh from aiding the Springboks to victory in the Rugby Championship, Thomas du Toit has returned to Bath’s starting line-up.

Du Toit will start as tighthead joined by Beno Obano at loosehead. Niall Annett comes into the starting XV, switching with Tom Dunn on the bench.

Quinn Roux and Charlie Ewels lock in at 4 and 5 respectively to complete the tight five.

Ted Hill returns to start on the blindside, with Guy Pepper retaining his jersey from last week as openside flanker.

Miles Reid will don the Number 8 jersey to complete the starting pack.

Centurion Spencer and Finn Russell continue their partnership at half-back, with Spencer captaining from scrum-half.

Will Butt and Ollie Lawrence’s centre partnership continues in the midfield after an impressive Gallagher Player of the Match performance from Lawrence against Leicester Tigers in Round 2.

Ruaridh McConnochie comes into the fold to start at 11, seeing Tom de Glanville move to the right wing for Sam Harris to start at full-back.

Providing impact from the bench, Francois van Wyk and Will Stuart join Dunn as Bath’s replacement front row.

Last week’s debutant Ross Molony joins Jaco Coetzee and Louis Schreuder as substitutions.

Making their first appearances of 2024/25, Sam Underhill and Cameron Redpath will return to the field from the bench after being side-lined during a spell of rehabilitation in the off-season.

The game kicks off at 15:05 on Saturday 5 October at The Rec.

JOIN US AND MAKE SOME NOISE FOR THE BOYS!

Our Matchday Ambassadors will be gathering fans from 13:30 at the William St Gate ready to welcome the team into the stadium!

Be there, wave your hands and clap your banners for the arrival of the Blue, Black and White!

BATH RUGBY’S PREMIERSHIP RUGBY CUP CALENDAR 2024/25

RFU Championship sides will play Premiership Rugby sides in a second season of the broadened competition.

Being drawn in Pool 4 of the Cup competition, Bath Rugby will take on West Country and Premiership Rugby rivals Bristol Bears, alongside Bedford Blues and Ampthill from the RFU Championship.

BATH RUGBY'S PREMIERSHIP RUGBY CUP SCHEDULE

Round 1 - Ampthill v Bath Rugby

Saturday 2 November 2024, 14:00

Round 2 - Bath Rugby v Bristol Bears

Saturday 9 November 2024, 13:00, The Rec

Round 3 - Bedford Blues v Bath Rugby

Saturday 23 November, 15:00

Round 4 - Bath Rugby v Bedford Blues

Friday 31 January 2025, 19:45, The Rec

Round 5 - Bath Rugby v Ampthill

Saturday 8 February 2025, 13:30, The Rec

Round 6 - Bristol Bears v Bath Rugby

Saturday 15 February 2025, 15:00

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FOLLOW THE ACTION

You can follow the action LIVE on our Bath Rugby X channel.

The game will also be shown on TNT Sports, ITV4 and Discovery+.

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DOUBLE HEADER ANNOUNCED FOR ROUND 6

Bath Rugby take on Sale Sharks followed by Bath RFC Ladies taking on Richmond FC Women.

In an action-packed day at The Rec, Bath RFC Ladies will also be taking on Richmond FC in Round 5 of the Championship South.

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THE RECCY: YOUR MATCHDAY GUIDE

Gallagher Trophy🏆
Live music from The Relayz Band 🎤
Circus Tent with Super Pirates & Face Painter 🎪
Jamma de Samba Tunnel of Noise 🥁
Max the Mascot 🦁
Happy Hour! 🍻 (13:00-14:00)
Click & Collect
Bath Rugby Foundation raffle 🎟️
Pyro show🔥
Pitch Pageantry
'Come on You Bath' clapper banners - bring the noise! 👏
Matchday Ambassadors 👋
Food & beverage 🌭 +10% discount for Club Members
Bath Rugby Shop 👕
Bath Rugby Supporters' Club 🤝
Travel sorted with Centurion 🚌
Raise the cards🔵

Moment’s applause for Max McMullen

A moment’s applause will be held at Bath Rugby’s Premiership match against Bristol Bears on Saturday in memory of 15-year-old Max McMullen.

The Bath Academy player tragically died whilst away on a foreign exchange with his school five years ago, this month.

The club will be celebrating the life of a remarkable young man who will forever be in our hearts.

Max was a popular and hugely promising member of our U16 squad who the club had the privilege of coaching and seeing develop.

He joined the Bath Rugby Academy as an U15 for the 2018/19 season, having spent time in the club’s Developing Player Programme in the city in the previous year.

Prior to that, Max played his junior rugby at Walcot Rugby Club, on the outskirts of the city.

Everyone associated with Bath Rugby shares their love and thoughts with Max’s family and friends on the fifth anniversary of his passing.

OUR EXCLUSIVE MATCHDAY HOSPITALITY PACKAGES FOR 2024/25

This season, we invite you to do more than just watch the game - immerse yourself in a matchday experience like no other.

Nestled in the historic city of Bath, our iconic location at The Rec provides the perfect backdrop for a day filled with passion, epic performances, and unforgettable memories. Our hospitality packages are designed to cater to a variety of needs, whether you’re entertaining clients, celebrating a milestone, or simply looking to treat yourself to a special day out.

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BATH RUGBY TRAINING RANGE 2024/25

Unleash your potential with Bath Rugby's 2024/25 Training Collection. Embodying the team's ambition, the Bath Rugby Training Range merges sleek design with uncompromising performance.

Whether you're powering through the scrum or lining up that match-winning drop kick, our Dark Slate, Caviar, and Viridian Green colourway exudes minimalist style while delivering maximum impact.

Showcase your Bath Rugby pride and shop the 2024/25 Training kit now, both in-store and online.

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MATCH PREVIEW, DELIVERED BY HUBOO

Always a hotly anticipated fixture, there will be no loved lost between the two West Country sides as Pat Lam’s Bears touch down in the Recreation Ground.

After securing two wins from the opening two rounds of the Premiership, Bath will look to build on the nine league points secured against Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers.

Speaking about the fixture coming up on Saturday (KO 15:05), Johann van Graan previews the upcoming pitch battle: "It's about handling it the same as we do every week. We only played on Sunday afternoon, so we got back late on Sunday evening and Monday was an open day for us. Whereas our opposition had the two extra days, they played on Friday night so we've got to look at how we freshen up for the weekend as much as we can.

"For us, we play in a way that we believe in; the emotion will take care of itself on Saturday afternoon and we treat this week the same way we treat every other week."

In terms of what the Head of Rugby is expecting of the opposition, van Graan said: "I expect them to play their game. I expect them to use their nine to find space and him to try and do the unpredictable, and I expect him to have two players bolted onto the touchline and play with their shape that tries to pull you apart.

"I think the most important bit is what am I expecting of ourselves is to stick to our game, impose our strengths onto them and it's important that in a short week that we get our stuff right. Then on Saturday we've got to adapt accordingly because it's a whole new game, different referee, different conditions to what we faced on Sunday afternoon [against Leicester].

Asked about the league and whether there have been any surprises for van Graan so far, he added: "I think the Premiership started the way it left off. The first game was a repeat of the final and I thought it was two good teams that went at each other. I think the Leicester win away at Exeter. I think the Saracens performance on the weekend against Sale was pretty good. I thought the Newcastle fight against Quins. I thought Gloucester and how they closed that game out at Ashton Gate. I think this Premiership could go down to the wire again. There are no weak teams and you've got to play at your best because if you're at 95% you might get beaten by quite few.

"I'd like to think that all 10 teams are getting better each year and it'll be pretty tight, and enjoyable."

READ THE FULL HUBOO MATCH PREVIEW

ABOUT THE OPPOSITION: BRISTOL BEARS

Bath's closest rival, Bristol Bears bring a large amount of power with them as they had to The Rec this weekend.

Pat Lam, Bristol's Director of Rugby, has the likes of Ellis Genge, Max Malins, Viliame Mata and Harry Randall amongst his international contingent.

Set for a battle at scrum-half, we could see two England number 9s, Randall and Ben Spencer, going head-to-head with their box-kicking.

In the midfield, there's a potential match-up between Ollie Lawrence and Benhard Janse van Rensburg bulldozing through each other on the crash ball.

Bristol Bears head to The Rec fresh from a very narrow defeat to fellow West Country rivals, Gloucester, who Took a 41-44 victory over Bears at Ashton Gate last weekend, seeing them lose one and win one (v Newcastle) from the two opening rounds of the Premiership.

Max Malins is their current top try-scorer for 2024/25, sitting on four scores for the BS3 side.

BRISTOL BEARS LAST VISIT TO THE REC

Bath Rugby 20-19 Bristol Bears

Friday 17 November 2023

An injury update has been issued ahead of Bath Rugby's fixture against Bristol Bears.

Rory Murray, Bath Rugby's Head of Medical Services, provides an injury update ahead of Round 3 of the Premiership.

Joe Cokanasiga

During last weekend’s fixture against Leicester Tigers, Joe failed a Head Injury Assessment after a collision with Izaia Perese, which resulted in the Tigers’ player receiving a yellow card for foul play. Following return to play protocols, Joe will be unavailable for selection this weekend.

Will Muir

Will left the field of play during the second half of Sunday’s game against Leicester Tigers with a knee injury. The injury is expected to keep him out for six weeks.

Max Ojomoh

Max continues his rehabilitation following a foot injury sustained during Bath’s pre-season fixture against Ealing Trailfinders, with an expected return in December.

Archie Griffin

Archie is currently sidelined with a bout of illness and likely to miss the next three Premiership fixtures.

Hame Faiva

Hame has undergone surgery following a knee injury sustained during the pre-season round of games. No date has been set for his return.

BATH CALL-UPS TO ENGLAND TRAINING CAMP

Ollie Lawrence, Ben Spencer, Will Stuart, and Sam Underhill have been named in England Rugby head coach Steve Borthwick's 36-player squad for a three-day training camp ahead of the forthcoming 2024 Autumn Nations Series.

The squad will gather on Monday 7 October, with training taking place at England’s Honda Performance Centre, Pennyhill Park and at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

England welcome New Zealand at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday 2 November (kick-off 15:10) for their first match of the 2024 Autumn Nations Series, before taking on Australia, South Africa and Japan.

Borthwick said: “After watching a competitive and high scoring start to the Premiership season, I am once again looking forward to gathering the players together.”

“This training camp is an important part of our preparations for the Autumn Nations Series as we continue to build on the cohesion we've developed over the past two campaigns.

“The squad reflects the depth and quality we have in English rugby, and we are looking forward to working with the players ahead of what will be a highly competitive series.”

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BATH UNITED REASSEMBLE TO PLAY EDINBURGH RUGBY A IN OCTOBER

The club can confirm it will be hosting a developmental fixture against URC side Edinburgh Rugby 'A' next month.

Providing valuable game-time across Bath’s squad, the match will take place on Saturday 12 October, coinciding with Premiership Rugby's first 'Derby Weekend' of the season.

The Bath United fixture will be played at The Rec, kicking off at 13:00, whilst Bath Rugby touch down in Gloucester for their Round 4 clash at the Kingsholm Stadium.

Familiar rivals, Bath and Edinburgh faced off in a developmental fixture last season.

This will be a free fixture for supporters. Please register for your free ticket below.

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TRICKY'S TRICK OR TREAT HALLOWEEN QUIZ

Looking for something to do on Halloween? Look no further! Our Tricky's Trick or Treat Halloween Quiz will be a fantastic night of fun and fundraising to help Bath Rugby Foundation change young lives! Teams of 4 - Come and enjoy a fun and spooky evening with us to raise money for the Bath Rugby Foundation! Halloween Quiz, welcome drink, and great company!

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NextGen membership is designed specifically to cater for the next generation of players and Bath Rugby fans aged between 4 and 11, providing exclusive access to child-friendly content, unforgettable experiences and fantastic competitions.

BENEFITS OF NEXTGEN JUNIOR - YEARS MEMBERSHIP 24/25

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AN UPDATE FROM BATH RUGBBY SUPPORTERS' CLUB

By Nicola Curtis, BRSC Member

"I’m yet to recover from that Saturday a few months ago in Twickenham, and I imagine most of you haven’t either. But the start of the season from Bath is doing much to raise my spirits.

"The result against Northampton didn’t totally soothe the pains from the final, but it was an impressive performance – exactly what we all needed to start the season. Then the match at Welford Road, which is always a hard place to get a win at, raised the spirits even further in a rather extraordinary game. It was lovely to see BRSC-sponsored Guy Pepper score his first try for the club. Another historically tough, always tricky fixture arrives this weekend, when our closest neighbours come to visit.

"In BRSC news, the renewals from existing members keep flowing in, and what is a very welcome surprise to us is the number of new members joining, both online and in person on matchdays. We’re gratified at the level of interest and support, and rest assured that your committee are working hard behind the scenes for you. After another successful annual awards evening over the summer, there will be a new programme of social events coming your way soon.

"While we don’t run coaches for every away match, we will be organising trips for some of the most exciting matches in the calendar, starting with the trip to Gloucester next weekend on the Saturday 12 October. Get in touch via our website ASAP if you would like to come along.