Ewels so proud to earn the captaincy

CHARLIE Ewels has been given the honour of being Bath Rugby captain for 2019/20 – and he will lead out the team for the first home game of the season against Worcester in the Premiership Rugby Cup at the Rec today.

Director of rugby Stuart Hooper will not separate the roles of club captain and on-field captain, as has happened in the past, nor will he have designated vice-captains.

He has chosen the 24-year-old lock to replace Matt Garvey – the club captain of the last two campaigns – as leader of the Blue, Black & Whites.

Ewels is no stranger to wearing the armband. He led England Under-20s to the 2015 World Championship final and has been the Bath skipper during matches a number of times, including for The Clash against Bristol Bears at Twickenham in April. Now the role is official.

“I’m extremely proud,” he said. “The main thing is it’s my role within the team. It’s not an individual accolade.

“I’ll judge how well I do on what I can get out of other people. We’re fortunate in this team that we’ve got some brilliant leaders.

“My job as captain is about bringing those guys together. One man can’t lead 15 guys in all areas of the field.

“Why would I try to run the attack when I’ve got Rhys Preistland, Freddie Burns, one of those guys with all their experience

around me? My job will be bringing that together and, ultimately, leading by example by performing well and playing as well as I can, week in, week out.”

Hooper does not want Ewels to be a “yes man”.

“I expect me and him to have a very robust relationship,” said the former skipper of five seasons.

“I expect him to challenge me and me to challenge him.

“I expect him to stick up for the players and I expect him to lead the players whether he’s on the field or off the field.”

He may still only be 24, but Ewels feels he has developed the maturity, confidence and respect to be able to do that.

“There’s no high performance environment in the world where there isn’t challenge,” he said. “If everything is comfortable we’re not getting better. Me and Hoops have had those conversations. It’s really important that if I feel there’s something that the team needs to help us perform that we get it.

“Sometimes, I might go in and tell him what I think and he might say no, but at least there’s an understanding that this is how we feel and he can give me a reason as for why that’s happening.”

Ewels features in a starting line-up against Worcester which sees new signings Christian Judge, Josh McNally and Mike Williams all make their debuts.

Beno Obano, Ross Batty and Judge form the front row, with Ewels and McNally the lock pairing. Williams, Josh Bayliss and Zach Mercer complete the pack in the back row.

Will Chudley and Rhys Priestland start in the half back pairing, with Max Wright and Max Clark at inside and outside centre respectively.

Levi Davis switches from the left wing to the right wing, with Aled Brew and Tom Homer completing the back three.

Lewis Boyce and Will Stuart could also make their first appearances for Bath after being named among the replacements.