Bath Rugby head of rugby Johann van Graan remains cautious about confirming the availability of star fly-half Finn Russell for Saturday’s pivotal Gallagher Premiership Round 18 encounter against Leicester Tigers at the Recreation Ground.
This crucial fixture carries significant stakes, as the winner will secure a home semi-final spot in the Premiership play-offs—an advantage often seen as a vital step towards reaching the final the following week.
Currently second on the table, Bath trails table-toppers Northampton Saints, who have already clinched their home semi-final berth on Friday night. Just two points adrift of Bath, Leicester Tigers have also secured a top-four finish and are poised to challenge fiercely.
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Van Graan revealed that Russell missed last weekend’s hard-fought 21-19 loss at Bristol Bears due to a tight calf, having been withdrawn from training as a precaution. His participation against Leicester remains uncertain, with Argentina international Santi Carreras or Ciaran Donoghue lined up as potential replacements at fly-half.
When asked for an update midweek, van Graan stated, “We’ll make a call later in the week. We sustained a few knocks and bruises against Bristol, but nothing more I want to disclose at this point.”
The coach was clearer regarding the return of two key forwards—Irish lock Quinn Roux and England hooker Tom Dunn—both previously sidelined due to suspensions. The nuances surrounding Roux’s two-match ban were clarified when he passed his Head Injury Assessment protocols, making both Roux and Dunn eligible for selection in next weekend’s semi-final.
Van Graan confirmed: “Quinn completed the HIA process and attended the World Rugby tackle school, so both he and Tom Dunn are available to play next weekend.”
Additionally, scrum-half Bernard van der Linde is making a remarkable recovery from recent ankle surgery and is back in contention for selection in the season’s closing matches.
“He’s progressing excellently and completed a full training session today,” van Graan noted. “Looking back, Bernard had a fantastic start before his injury. Similarly, Tom Carr-Smith has impressed, especially coming off the bench, and we still have some decisions to make ahead of the team announcement tomorrow noon.”