Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Johann: Gloucester will get respect they deserve
BATH head of rugby Johann van Graan will not underestimate West Country rivals Gloucester tomorrow – highlighting that “one play was the difference between winning and losing” when the Cherry & Whites fell to Harlequins at Twickenham last weekend.
The Blue, Black & Whites missed the chance to start 2024 at the top of the Gallagher Premiership when losing at Leicester on Sunday, but they did rest a number of key men ahead of their derby against their old rivals from Gloucestershire.
Gloucester have come off second best in eight consecutive Premiership matches to sit only above winless Newcastle in the table, but Bath chief Van Graan will be paying them the utmost respect.
He told the official Bath Rugby website: “We’ve had some big battles over many years with Gloucester, and the last few against them had big crowds with the two teams having a proper go, so it’s brilliant to host them at The Rec on Sunday.
“You’ve got to look at the game closely, and they’ve only narrowly lost over the last two weeks.
“At Twickenham, one play was the difference between winning and losing. The previous week they had a kick to win it (against Northampton Saints), so what I’ve learned in the Premiership is to respect every team.
“What happened before doesn’t matter, even more so when it’s Bath versus Gloucester, so for us it’s a new game, a new team, a bit different on a Sunday, and we look at this game in isolation and treat Gloucester with the respect they deserve.
“We’re focused on the things that we’ve been doing well and the focus is on us and trying to improve our group and our individual players. We aren’t perfect, but we are trying to be better every single day.
“Every week you’ll hear me saying ‘Respect the opposition’ because I’ve learned as a coach if you are disrespectful to anybody or arrogant in your preparation this game keeps you humble.
“George (Skivington, Gloucester director of rugby) is a class man and a class coach; they’ve got some phenomenal players in their team and they’re not far off, so it’s the same as it was against Leicester, against Harlequins and the two European games before that.”
Prop Beno Obano and hooker Tom Dunn return to the Bath starting line-up, while Will Stuart retains his place from the Leicester clash.
In the second row, Elliott Stooke and Charlie Ewels rekindle their familiar partnership, while GJ van Velze, Miles Reid and Jaco Coetzee complete the pack.
Ben Spencer reclaims the armband at nine, partnered by Finn Russell at fly-half. Will Muir and Joe Cokanasiga will start on the wings, with Cameron Redpath and Ollie Lawrence in the centres. Tom de Glanville is at full-back.
For Gloucester, Argentina’s Mayco
Vivas starts at prop alongside Kirill Gotovtsev and hooker George McGuigan. The rest of the pack remains unchanged, with Freddie Clarke and Matias Alemanno in the second row and Ruan Ackermann, Zach Mercer and captain Lewis Ludlow in the back row.
Caolan Englefield makes his first Premiership start for the club alongside Adam Hastings in the halfbacks, with Seb Atkinson and Chris Harris lining up in the centre.
Jonny May, Ollie Thorley and Santi Carreras are the back three.
Max Llewellyn and Louis ReesZammit are among the Gloucester replacements.
Gloucester boss Skivington said: “It’s a massive task this week, we know Bath are in very good form and are doing really well this year, so it’ll be tough. They’ve had a great season so far, they’ve recruited really well, they’re a well-coached team.
“These derby games are brilliant for rugby, and it’s hard to beat a Gloucester versus Bath game. I’m sure the Rec will be sold out and it will be a great atmosphere so it’s great way to start 2024.”
Bath Rugby:
T De Glanville; J Cokanasiga, O Lawrence, C Redpath, W Muir; F Russell, B Spencer (capt); B Obano, T Dunn, W Stuart, E Stooke, C Ewels, GJ van Velze, M Reid, J Coetzee. Replacements: N Annett, T Du Toit, A Griffin, Q Roux, A Barbeary, T Carr-Smith, S Harris, S Underhill.
S Carreras; J May, C Harris, S Atkinson, O Thorley; A Hastings, C Englefield; M Vivas, G McGuigan, K Gotovtsev, F Clarke, M Alemanno, R Ackermann, L Ludlow (capt), Z Mercer. Replacements: S Blake, J Ford-Robsinon, F Balmain, C Jordan, J Clement, S Varney, M Llewellyn, L Rees-Zammit.