When Johann van Graan joined Bath, one of his first moves was to watch a video of them playing in Bordeaux. The club was at rock bottom, and he wanted to understand how far it had fallen.<\/p>\n
The game he chose was the Champions Cup final of 1998, the Heineken Cup as it was at the time. Even allowing for last season\u2019s trophy treble, it remains Bath\u2019s high point since the sport went professional.<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried to learn as much as I could when I arrived,\u201d explains the South African. \u201cMy philosophy is understand before being understood. I needed to understand what had come before.\u201d<\/p>\n
And so he watched as a Bath side coached by Andy Robinson took on champions Brive at Stade Lescure and trailed throughout. Somehow, they found a way to stay in the fight and win through Jon Callard\u2019s stoppage-time penalty.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is some great inspiration for us,\u201d says Van Graan, whose side are back in the city today, again to face the tournament holders, this time in a semi-final.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the biggest things I\u2019ve learned is you always respect your past, understand the history and the battles fought before. We\u2019re so proud of the club that was founded in 1865.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut a lesson in life is you\u2019ve got to be in the now. The way I see sport is if you live in the past, you\u2019ll stay in the past. This is a new story. This is our story.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sir Steve Hansen: New NZ Rugby board \u2018can\u2019t be questioned\u2019 after \u2018best ever\u2019 process to appoint an All Black coach<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe started at zero, literally last place\u201d<\/p>\n The day he replayed that video, in July 2022, Bath were still coming to terms with finishing last in the Gallagher Premiership. Had there been relegation, they would have gone.<\/p>\n Four years on and the club are champions of England, in a strong position to retain that crown whilst also bidding to become the first club since Wasps in 2004 to go from winning the European Challenge Cup<\/a> to lifting the Champions Cup 12 months later.<\/p>\n \u201cWe started at zero, literally last place,\u201d says Van Graan. \u201cAnd we\u2019ve fought our way through to where we are now, playing some of the biggest games in world club rugby. We are grateful. A humble group of players are busy writing their own history.\u201d<\/p>\n Two monumental visits to Bordeaux, separated by 28 years, but with one common thread. Robinson, head coach of the class of 1998 before going on to lead England<\/a>, is back at the Rec as assistant coach.<\/p>\n \u201cRobbo is a champion of a man,\u201d says Van Graan. \u201cI brought him back in and he\u2019s made such a big difference not only to my life, but also that of the current team.\u201d<\/p>\n Since his return, initially as head academy coach, Bath have won three trophies. Between 1998 and 2024 the club managed just one.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can never buy experience,\u201d Van Graan adds. \u201cYou cannot buy wisdom. And you can\u2019t buy love for the club. Robbo\u2019s given all of those things to us as a group.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulster v Exeter: Five takeaways as \u2018canny coach\u2019 gamble pays off against \u2018out of steam\u2019 Chiefs<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe play rugby with a smile on our face\u201d<\/p>\n This weekend provides arguably the greatest test yet. Bordeaux have ripped through this tournament like a tornado; fearlessly defending their crown, scoring more tries than anyone else.<\/p>\n They have stuck 64 points on Leicester, 50 on Northampton and Scarlets, 46 on the Bulls. In the quarter-finals they eliminated six-time winners and French champions Toulouse, just as they had in the semi-finals last season.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can very quickly get dragged into all the things they can do because they are a very good side,\u201d Van Graan admits.<\/p>\n \u201cMathieu Jalibert has been one of the premier 10s throughout the season. I thought he had a fantastic Six Nations; incredible kicking game, brilliant show and go. He always seems to have time on the ball.<\/p>\n \u201cLouis Bielle-Biarrey has taken wing play to another level in the northern hemisphere. Not only his speed, but his decision making, his defence, his aerial skills. That chip and chase of his is magnificent. For two years he has been fantastic.<\/p>\n \u201cBut our focus remains on what we have to do. Over the last three years and 10 months we\u2019ve become very comfortable with who we are. We understand how we want to play the game.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are never too high, never to low, we try and get better. Most importantly, we play rugby with a smile on our face.\u201d<\/p>\n Van Graan adds: \u201cThis is the first time in 20 years our club is playing in a Champions Cup semi-final. We\u2019re up against one of the European powerhouses, the champions of last season.<\/p>\n \u201cBut in sport you can\u2019t lose what you don\u2019t have. We play in this competition to measure ourselves against the best. For us the occasion is amazing, we want to be part of games like this.\u201d<\/p>\n English clubs have made 30 appearances in the last four, with 16 advancing to the showpiece. Bath edged past Pau at the Rec in \u201998 but eight years later came up short against Biarritz<\/a> in San Sebasti\u00e1n.<\/p>\n Leinster v Toulon: Five takeaways as \u2018scrum master\u2019 delivers but comfortable-looking home win ends with \u2018nervous final few minutes\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cSport is about moments in time. We have got to take ours.\u201d<\/p>\n Two decades on from that disappointment at Estadio Anoeta the Blue, Black and White return with a spring in their step. Financially strong off the field, no less powerful on it.<\/p>\n Under Van Graan\u2019s stewardship the senior players have really stood up and led. Ben Spencer, Finn Russell, Thomas du Toit, Tom Dunn and Sam Underhill have been immense.<\/p>\n Max Ojomoh, Henry Arundell, Guy Pepper and Will Muir have been capped by England; Ollie Lawrence, Ted Hill and Josh Bayliss have flourished, Alfie Barbeary become a dominant force.<\/p>\n Such a squad effort has the past 18 months been that it is almost incongruous to pick out individuals. What about Kepu Tuipulotu and Billy Sela, 20 and 21 respectively, who have enjoyed breakout campaigns in the front row?<\/p>\n Not a mention for Santi Carreras, Tom de Glanville, Cam Redpath and Joe Cokanasiga? How about a nod to Beno Obano, Miles Reid, Quinn Roux and Charlie Ewels..<\/p>\n For all that, this competition has reached a stage where every opponent is formidable. And when the best play the best it comes down to small margins.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the things I\u2019m most proud of about our group, our club, is we\u2019ve never said we\u2019re going to achieve X, Y, Z,\u201d Van Graan says. \u201cWe stay in the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the two previous rounds we were put under severe pressure by two very good teams, in Saracens and Bath<\/a>. We came through and now we face another pressure cooker game, as the English would say.<\/p>\n \u201cThe challenge is to be ourselves. I\u2019ve been lucky and privileged to be involved in two European semi-finals before as well as five Super Rugby semis.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are big occasions but, ultimately, what you face remains a game of rugby. In very simplistic terms: four white lines, one ball, 30 players on the field, both sides with eight players on the bench.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom there rugby happens and you\u2019ve got to be adaptable, bring composure under pressure. I believe sport is about moments in time. We have got to take ours.\u201d<\/p>\n