Hooper says Bath owner is ‘hugely supportive’
STUART Hooper says Bath owner Bruce Craig is “hugely supportive” as the club address a dismal start to their season.
Bath visit Gallagher Premiership champions Harlequins on Saturday, less than a week after slumping to a club record home league defeat when they were crushed 71-17 by Saracens.
Four successive Premiership reversals equate to Bath’s poorest season opening since 2001, and they are bottom of the table, 20 points behind leaders Leicester.
“I think as I have said before, Bruce (Craig) is hugely supportive,” Bath rugby director Hooper, below, said.
“We’ve spoken about, obviously, the game, because part of my role is to have that communication with Bruce and allow him to see some of the ways we are going to get better from the weekend.
“Everyone at the club has been hugely supportive and continue to be so, and support is not just an arm around the shoulder at all, it’s about challenge and support, and those guys Bruce and Tarquin (McDonald, Bath chief executive) have both been outstanding in that regard.
“I know that we have to turn this around, and I have absolute belief that we will, but it’s not driven by a pressure from above, as you put it, it’s driven by a desire and a want and a pressure from within the group to do that.”
Hooper added: “There is no ‘you must do this, or else’. It is absolutely a relationship whereby it is challenge and support, but wanting to get the best out of everyone that is here.”
Meanwhile. Hooper says Bath’s England wing Anthony Watson will be “seen by the best” on his recovery path after he was struck down by a serious knee injury.
The Bath star suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament during Sunday’s 71-17 Gallagher Premiership defeat against Saracens.
Watson was immediately ruled out of England’s forthcoming Autumn Nations Series games, and potentially he could also miss this season’s Six Nations during what is likely to be a lengthy recovery process. The 27-year-old, who has won 51 England caps and featured in five Tests for the British and Irish Lions, has previously overcome two ruptured Achilles during his career.
Hooper said: “It’s very tough for him. He has already had his scan, he has already seen the specialist, and now there is a plan in place. It is a long-term knee injury. We have heard of it many times before.
“Unfortunately, we see more of them, and we have got people here and abroad who are experts at dealing with that and getting the guys back. If I know one thing about Anthony, he will be looking to break records as to how quickly he can get back from it. We’ve got some direction now, and he will be motivated to get back as quickly as possible.”
Hooper added that Watson will be placed in the best possible hands on his road back to full fitness.
“The injury happened, and it is always termed as an ACL, but when they get in there and do the job, there are a few different ways they can do it and a few different severities of it,” Hooper said.
“What we have used in the past for the rehabilitation stage are people in
Ireland, who are world-leading in dealing with these knee injuries and they give some incredibly-detailed guidance. We will make sure he gets seen by the best and we have the best plan to get him back.”
Watson had only recently returned to action following the Lions’ tour, where he started the first and second Tests against the Springboks
“In all honesty, the mechanism of the injury is not something brought about by fatigue in any way, shape or form,” Hooper added.
“He was in great shape going into the game, as he was the week before. It really is a freak moment which unfortunately could happen, and has happened to lots of people before.”