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MATCHDAY PROGRAMME: Saracens (GP: R9)

Saturday 26 October 2024

By Bath Rugby

December 27^th, 2024

BATH RETURN TO THE REC FOR THE FINAL TIME IN 2024

Bath’s Head of Rugby Johann van Graan makes three changes to his starting XV to take on Saracens at The Rec this Saturday (kick-off 12:45) in Round 9 of the Gallagher Premiership.

Following last weekend’s 40-15 win away at Newcastle Falcons, Beno Obano comes into the front row, having returned from injury as a second-half replacement in the game against Falcons. He packs down alongside hooker Tom Dunn and fellow prop Thomas du Toit, who also came off the bench the previous Saturday.

Quinn Roux and Charlie Ewels, fresh from registering a try against Newcastle, maintain their starting positions in the second row at four and five, respectively.

Another try-scorer at the weekend, Alfie Barbeary, continues to link-up in the back row with Guy Pepper, whilst Ted Hill, whose fresh legs also helped make a second-half impact last Saturday, slots in at 6.

The backs are unchanged from the Newcastle game with Ben Spencer, captain, and Finn Russell looking to drive the team forward in the half back positions. Russell, with a 100% record off the tee at a blustery Kingston Park, will line-up with Cameron Redpath and Ollie Lawrence as centres.

Will Muir and Joe Cokanasiga will be looking to exploit any space on the wings whilst Bath’s top try-scorer this season with four, Tom de Glanville, completes the Blue, Black and White’s starters at fullback.

With the impact players making up a 6-2 split, front rowers Niall Annett, Francois van Wyk, and Will Stuart will be ready when called upon, as will Ross Molony, Sam Underhill and Miles Reid as the other replacement forwards.

Louis Schreuder and Max Ojomoh complete Bath’s 23 for the visit of the North London side.

TEAM

Bath Rugby: 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Thomas du Toit, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Charlie Ewels, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Alfie Barbeary, 9 Ben Spencer (c), 10 Finn Russell, 11 Will Muir, 12 Cameron Redpath, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 15 Tom de Glanville

Replacements: 16 Niall Annett, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Sam Underhill, 21, Louis Schreuder, 22 Max Ojomoh, 23 Miles Reid

Saracens: 1 Phil Brantingham, 2 Jamie George, 3 Fraser Balmain, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 5 Nick Isiekwe, 6 Theo McFarland, 7 Toby Knight, 8 Ben Earl, 9 Gareth Simpson, 10 Fergus Burke, 11 Rotimi Segun, 12 Olly Hartley, 13 Alex Lozowski, 14 Tobias Elliott, 15 Liam Williams

Replacements: 16 Kapeli Pifeleti, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Alec Clarey, 19 Harry Wilson, 20 Nathan Michelow, 21, Ivan van Zyl, 22 Sam Spink, 23 Angus Hall

JOIN US AND MAKE SOME NOISE FOR THE BOYS!

Our Matchday Ambassadors will be gathering fans from approximately 11:15 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!

MATCH PREVIEW, DELIVERED BY HUBOO

Bath Rugby bring 2024 to an end with the visit of Saracens to The Rec in Round 9 of the Gallagher Premiership.

Previewing the game against the side from North London, Bath’s Head of Rugby Johann van Graan spoke about how the festive season means teams need to tweak their schedules accordingly whilst maintaining as much consistency as possible.

“When we saw the fixture list at the start of the season, these (games) are great occasions around Christmas time with all the families and friends around,” he said. “Your preparation is a bit different in terms of your training days, so we planned for it and it’s a group of players that work incredibly hard and prepare diligently. We got together again this morning to finish our captain’s practice and now we are looking forward to it. You’ve got to enjoy these occasions, a 12:45 kick-off at a sold-out Rec against Saracens, a team we respect a lot and have had many big battles against them, and I am sure tomorrow will be another one.”

Reflecting on the 40-15 win last weekend against Newcastle Falcons away in particularly challenging conditions at a cold and blustery Kingston Park, van Graan was quick to point out the importance of treating each game the same.

“The points on offer against Newcastle is exactly the same as this weekend as will be the same next week against Northampton that’s why we start every week at zero,” he added.

“We are never too high and never too low. After a very good performance, we look at our game the exact same way as a performance that was sub-par. (Saracens) is a great occasion, but there is no other relevance to the game other than it’s Bath v Saracens on a Saturday afternoon so looking forward to it very much, but we didn’t spend more time on this compared to the previous one or won’t be spending any more time on this one to the next one.”

READ THE FULL MATCH PREVIEW

SECURE YOUR SEAT FOR BATH'S CRUCIAL CHAMPIONS CUP CLASH AGAINST ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE!

Bath Rugby welcome Top 14 French side ASM Clermont Auvergne in what could prove to be a pivotal clash in this season's Investec Champions Cup.

With both sides aiming to progress through to the knockout stages of European Rugby's elite competition, this Round 3 Pool fixture has all the potential to be a classic encounter at The Rec!

Tickets are still available so don't delay and get ready to cheer on the Blue, Black and White on Sunday 12 January (kick-off 17:30).

Be there for the unmissable action!

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THE RECCY: YOUR MATCHDAY GUIDE

When gates open from 10:45...

Gates at The Rec open at 10:45 🕕
Jamma de Samba 🥁
Happy Hour! 🍻 (10:45-12:00)
Live music from The Relayz Band 🎤
Max the Mascot 🦁
Vherbalkitchen breakfast pizza 🍕
BathFitFam 💪
Coffee Lobby Coffee Art Demo ☕
Click & Collect on drinks
Bath Rugby Foundation raffle 🎟️
Tunnel of noise for players arrival at 11:30 🤩
'Come on You Bath' clapper banners - bring the noise! 👏
Food & beverage 🌭 +10% discount for Club Members
Bath Rugby Shop 👕
Bath Rugby Supporters' Club 🤝
Travel sorted with Centurion plus Park & Ride 🚌
New and improved Wi-Fi 📱

READ THE RECCY IN FULL

OUR EXCLUSIVE MATCHDAY HOSPITALITY PACKAGES FOR 2024/25

Make your matchday memorable

The Blue, Black & White Club is open for matchday bookings for the 2024/25 season.

Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion, catching up with loved ones, or entertaining clients, The Blue, Black & White Club provides the perfect venue to create a matchday to remember.

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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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PURCHASE VIÑALBA

Stadium for Bath update

Bath Rugby is excited to announce that it has submitted amended plans for a new state-of-the-art stadium at The Rec, the club's historic home since 1894.

The amended application reflects valuable feedback from the public, key stakeholders, and Bath & North East Somerset Council (B&NES), addressing technical points identified since the initial submission last year. A planning committee is targeted in the New Year.

The new stadium design boasts significant improvements, including lowering the heights of the West and East Stands. These enhancements are not just aesthetic; they aim to elevate the matchday experience while preserving the unique character of the surrounding area.

"This submission is another important milestone for the club and the city. We’ve listened closely to the community and our stakeholders, as well as the numerous statutory consultees that are invited to comment on planning applications, and we are committed to delivering a stadium that not only meets the needs of our fans but also respects the rich heritage of Bath," said Tarquin McDonald, Chief Executive of Bath Rugby.

"The amended submission showcases an exciting vision for the future, with significant public benefits that will positively contribute to the entire community. We now look forward to the Council bringing the proposals to a planning committee in the New Year."

Key benefits of the new stadium design include:

• A new curved roof form which reduces the heights, resulting in increased views of the city and surrounding hills

• Enhanced landscaping to the river

• Redesign of East and West Stand facades

• Re-engineered and enhanced seating bowl

The resubmitted plans still retain all the key benefits included in the original application from 2023:

• 18,000 capacity stadium with significantly enhanced accessibility provisions

• Contemporary and sensitive design

• Significantly increased community use with new stadium facilities

• Regenerated riverside including the new Spring Gardens Walk

• Retention of mature trees, as well as further landscaping and bio-diversity measures

• A host of sustainability measures to support a target of net zero operational carbon

• Riverside café/restaurant, Club shop and museum for non-matchday use

The amended plans which have been submitted will be publicly available on the B&NES Council planning portal in the New Year. The club will confirm once the amendments have gone live so members of the public can comment on the plans.

JOIN THE BATH RUGBY BUSINESS CLUB

Annual membership grants members the opportunity to interact with other Bath Rugby business community members, become part of an exclusive Business Club members group for exchanging ideas and resources, and attend a range of networking events with distinguished keynote speakers from diverse business and sports sectors.

U20 SIX NATIONS RETURNS TO THE REC

The home of Bath Rugby will open its doors for England U20 Six Nations fixtures against France and Italy.

The Rec and Kingston Park will host England U20 Men’s home Six Nations fixtures in 2025.

The U20 world champions travel to The Rec to take on France in Round 2 (Friday 7 February, 20:00 GMT) and Italy in Round 4 (Friday 7 March, 19:45 GMT), with a meeting against Scotland set to take place at Kingston Park on Friday 21 February (19:15 GMT) in Round 3.

Tickets are on sale now!

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TRY MR FILBERT'S

BATH RUGBY x TRUESPEED

Bath Rugby have agreed a new multi-year strategic partnership with Truespeed Communications as Official Broadband and Public Wi-Fi provider.

The deal will see the Bath-based broadband provider and Premiership Rugby Club offering free and improved ultrafast Wi-Fi for supporters as part of The Rec's enhanced Fan Village experience, along with joint community outreach programmes.

With the club's enhanced full-fibre connectivity and the additional Wi-Fi points from Truespeed, supporters can enjoy speeds of up to 300 Mbps around the stadium.

To deliver this experience, Bath Rugby and Truespeed have upgraded the connectivity to The Rec and installed an additional wireless network in the Fan Village to ensure seamless Wi-Fi.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP

BATH HALF MARATHON 2025 SIGN ME UP!

We look after you all the way with training tips, fundraising support, and lots more. And the best part is you'll be helping to change the lives of local vulnerable youngsters too.

Bath Rugby's Chief Executive, Tarquin McDonald, has run on behalf of Bath Rugby Foundation on numerous occasions and will be running again in 2025.

Of the cause, McDonald said: "Running the Bath Half is a special experience, joining thousands of other runners with amazing support lining the streets every step of the way cheering you on. I have enjoyed it so much I signed up again for 2025!

"I will be running for Bath Rugby Foundation. They look after you so well as a runner, supporting you in the build-up to race day with training tips. On race day they provide a dedicated space to change pre-race, they look after your bag and possessions, and they are there to welcome you whenever you finish with their own goodie bags and massages to help recover sore legs.

"In the centre of all that is this amazing charity, Bath Rugby Foundation, which literally changes young lives for the better. What more motivation could you need than raising money for this brilliant charity."

Choose to run for Bath Rugby Foundation and help change young lives across Bath.

All we ask is that you raise a further £250 on top of your entry and we will support you to reach your goal.

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BIG GIVE CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE TO CHANGE YOUNG LIVES

We can double our difference and change young lives during the Big Give Christmas Challenge from 3rd-10th December 2024.

Bath Rugby Foundation is calling on supporters to help raise £36,500 to support vulnerable young people in the city. As part of the Big Give Christmas Challenge, every pound donated will be doubled.

The Foundation builds confidence, develops life skills, and creates pathways to independence for children and young people, particularly those facing challenges such as learning disabilities, mental health struggles, and socio-economic disadvantages.

Supporters can start donating to the Bath Rugby Supporters’ Club holding page allowing their donations to be matched during the Big Give week.

DONATE HERE

ENJOY A PREMIUM MATCHDAY EXPERIENCE AT THE BLUE, BLACK AND WHITE CLUB

Combining delicious food and drinks with player and legend features, our matchday hospitality packages are perfect for celebrating special occasions or treating friends, family and clients, making your visit to Bath special.

We have a range of premium matchday experiences to make your visit to The Rec one to truly remember.

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BECOME A NEXTGEN JUNIOR MEMBER!

NextGen, the destination for junior Bath Rugby fans.

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.