By Mitch Phillips
LONDON -Bath coach Johann van Graan praised the togetherness of his club after they beat Leicester 23-21 to win the Premiership title for the first time since 1996 on Saturday, three years after finishing bottom of the league.
The South African oversaw the turnaround that took Bath to the final last year, before finishing the regular season 11 points clear this year and holding off a late fightback from old rivals Leicester to secure a memorable triumph in the final.
“It’s for every player, every staff member, everyone involved in the club, and especially the supporters,” Van Graan said. “We spoke about connection and what I saw before the game when we got off that bus was one of the best experiences I’ve had in the game.”
The victory completed a superb treble this season after Bath earlier bagged the Premiership Cup and European Challenge Cup.
“Winning the Challenge Cup was brilliant but at the start of the year the goal was to win the Premiership,” said flyhalf Finn Russell.
“It’s special. This group, the city, the club deserves it. The work we’ve put in over the last few years and then what we do on the pitch is try to represent the city as best we can.
“After last year’s defeat, we bounced back really quickly and we managed to get the job done.”
Russell looked certain to score an interception try in the second half but then threw a pass to supporting Max Ojomoh, drawing gasps from the astonished Twickenham crowd.
“He’s a kid from Bath that grew up watching his dad (England and Bath flanker Steve) lifting this trophy, Russell said. “Giving him a little bit of limelight in the final was nice.”
Veteran scrumhalf Ben Spencer, a title winner with Saracens, said: “What we’ve done this year, to win three trophies like we have, is unbelievable.
“When Johann came in, he completely turned this place around. We’ve got a really good group around him in terms of coaches, in terms of staff and we’ve gone from there and I think we’ve gone from strength to strength.
“I’m not sure there’s enough time to say what he brings.
He has an unbelievable ability to stay calm at all times. At halftime he’s great and we’ve had a really good ability to start from zero.
“His ability to deal with people – 60-odd players who want to play every week – is amazing. The togetherness and strength of this group is just that – the group.”
Leicester coach Michael Cheika was proud of his team’s effort but, not for the first time, was unhappy with the officials, who heavily penalised his team and sent two players to the sin bin.
“The calls through the game went against us, the scrum calls were incredible, honestly, and some of the foul play ones. Dominating like that and getting nothing,” said the Australian as his one-season stint came to a frustrating end.
“Of course I’m slightly biased, but it was frustrating and when you come out of a final having scored more tries than the opposition it says something.
“But I love this group of guys, and love the club and I’m so proud of the players for the way they came in there and stayed in it right to the end. We gave ourselves a chance to win it right at the end, but unfortunately it didn’t go our way.”
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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