FORMER MUNSTER BOSS Johann van Graan has committed his long-term future to Bath after signing a new deal until 2030.
The 44-year-old arrived at the Premiership club in 2022 and guided his new side to Champions Cup qualification in his first season.
Bath are currently challenging for the play-offs with just two games remaining of the regular season, having reached the knockout stage of Europe’s elite rugby competition for the first time since 2015.
𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗮𝗻 is here to stay ✍️
— Bath Rugby (@BathRugby) May 2, 2024
We are delighted to announce Head of Rugby Johann van Graan has signed a new contract, committing his long-term future to Bath until the end of the 2029/30 campaign.
Read the full news 👉 https://t.co/w3VBDeRPf0#OurJourney pic.twitter.com/2hCuHsC0bT
“I’m proud to be committing my future to this historic club in blue, black and white and I am loving the journey we are on,” Van Graan said.
“Rugby is about people, purpose, creating memories and making a difference and my family and I are looking forward to our future in Bath.
“I’d like to acknowledge and thank the board, staff, players, and supporters who, together, make Farleigh House and The Rec such special places. We are creating a unique culture with purpose, and we are in, all in, all the time.”
What a bluffer
@Observer: ….he was never my favourite, but is that not a bit harsh? Expand please!
@Michael Murray: I dunno Michael I suppose it has something to do with the fact that he played puke rugby when at Munster, blooded no youngsters and screwed up a glorious chance at a Heineken cup against racing in a semifinal where he sent the team out with a poor tactical plan.
We are now paying for this by having to bring through a whole crop of new players while hoping that the old guard of O’Mahony et al will hang around and give the club enough time to do it.
@Observer: I think bluffer is harsh. He has done a decent enough job at Bath.
Just think he was really poor fit for Munster.
Clearly wanted to play a gameplan that in no way fit the players he had available.
The quotes in SA rugby around him bringing in Jenkin to try gey Munsters ‘power game’ going, shows he was alway going to need imports and continue to ignore youth development. Was never going to work in an IRFU system.
He will possibly find success in Bath where he can buy the team he wants
@Simon Ryan: he blooded plenty of young players, a huge chunk of whom now make up the backbone of the current team. Deserves a lot of credit for steadying the ship after the freefall of Axel and the chaos when Rassie upped sticks.
@John Fitz: his idea of a young player is a 28 year old. He really stunted munster, just look at the quality coming through these days compared to his years.
@John Fitz: JvG was so far out of his depth at Munster. His “plan” was a bad attempt to mimic Rassie. Ugly rugby but a smart coach executing the plan. JvG was an average coach executing a reductive plan to no effect. One Pro14 final he literally gave up on a one score game vs Leinster and took off both Murray & Carberry with 10 mins left
He played the kicking game, lost the first 70 mins and would be down 2 or 3 scores. The players on field would decide, let’s have phases without kicking and try offloads, would claw their way back & make the score look tight
Then in the next knock-out fixture, he’d roll out the same plan. I’m annoyed at senior players for this as I’d have thought they would say f*ck it let’s try doing this for 60 not 15 mins and play territory with a lead not when losing
I think the problem a lot of Munster fans had with him is he never seemed to want to be there from day one.
He was a makeweight in Rassie and Nienbar’s return to South Africa. He wanted to stay in the South African set up and didn’t want to go to Munster.
He gave the outward impression that he didn’t care after serving his notice and had to say publicly he did. That season was a complete write off.
Rowntree is far from perfect but he is a much better fit. He understands the Munster culture because Leicester is a similar type of club.
He enthusiastically put himself forward for the Munster job. Said all the right things like he and his family were really happy in limerick and committed to staying in limerick.
That leads to a stronger rapport with the fans. Even though the Rowntree era has being a bit of a rollercoaster ride to date the fans cut him more slack cos outwardly he says all the right things.
@Joe O’Regan: Rowntree is as close to perfect as Munster can realistically get. Really suits the culture and already won us a trophy
@S. Hurley: …and importantly bloods youngsters. That’s such an important part of the long term success of a club. Personally I think that was JCGs main flaw. There’s nothing more damaging for a club than the lack of youth development
@Petter Sellberg: exactly
He always seemed to be out of his depth with Munster, however seems to have turned Bath into a good attacking team.
@mecko daly: Finn Russell has turned them into a good attacking team. They were brutal last season.
@mcdb06: I imagine Lee Blackett has had quite a bit to do with it too.
@mecko daly: Monet talks… good with a ‘budget’
He is a spoofer. Has been given a huge check book and has benefitted from other team’s players that went into administration. Finn and his support coaching staff have been the difference for Bath and I think a contract until 2030 is mental.
They are welcome to him..
Fake coach