In a thrilling contest that saw them rally from a 14-man deficit to nearly win in the game’s final play, the team came up short against Northampton in the previous season’s final at Twickenham.
The team will kick off the new campaign at the Recreation Ground on Friday against Saints, a match they haven’t won a league championship since 1996.
“We obviously want to take home a trophy. We have never expressed a desire not to. However, Van Graan told Radio Somerset, “We are not in the [business] of predicting when this will happen.”
We as a group have experienced it; we were only one play away from winning it, so hopefully it comes sooner rather than later. However, there’s no assurance you’ll be in that position again.”
Van Graan is in his third season as head coach of the 2024–25 team, and the team has advanced quickly under his direction.
The majority of the team from the previous campaign has returned, and the South Africans are hoping that this season’s upward trend will be maintained by the consistency of the coaching staff and playing group.
There are just four new players, including Guy Pepper in the back row and lock Ross Molony.
Bath hasn’t taken home a trophy in a very long time, so there’s pressure. The only pressure we experience is internal pressure from our desire to be.
