Dempsey aims to end Bath’s soft-touch reputation

DETERMINED new Bath attack coach Girvan Dempsey has urged his charges to “find their voices” as the 82-cap former Ireland international attempts to recreate the winning formula that last season helped Leinster clinch a PRO 14 and Champions Cup double.

Former full-back Dempsey, 42, quit his role as Leinster’s backs coach in May to broaden his rugby horizons and add steel to a Bath side who, as his old club once did, have developed a ‘soft touch’ feel when it comes to the hardnosed task of winning trophies.

Having learnt his coaching trade alongside Michael Cheika, Joe Schmidt, Sir Graham Henry and, latterly, Stuart Lancaster, Dempsey told

The Rugby Paper: “I spent well over 20 years at Leinster, coming through the age grades to play and coach there, which was an honour, but the timing was right to move and there were opportunities on the horizon.

“What better opportunity is there now than to come to a club like Bath, which is a special place with a special coaching group being led by Todd Blackadder?

“A few years ago, when I was still playing at Leinster, we felt we had a group that should have kicked on, but there was a perception that Munster were the tougher side with the dogged edge to stick in there and get results while Leinster were a soft touch.

“Leinster didn’t have the mentality to win, people said, but Michael Cheika changed that and we got our first Heineken Cup under him in 2009.

“We developed the consistency you need to win over a period of time and that’s my mindset at Bath now.

“Having looked back at Bath’s games last season and spoken to coaches and players, it’s a similar situation to Leinster.

“We’re viewed as an ‘almost’ side, but we’ll work through it and with the talent we have available, we just need people to step up.”

Dempsey added: “I want players to find their voices and show leadership in areas we are doing well and ones they feel we can improve on.”