Bath Rugby is set to host Northampton Saints at the Recreation Ground this Friday in a thrilling quarter-final clash of the 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup. This matchup features two of England’s top sides, with the winner advancing to face either Bordeaux-Begles or Toulouse — both formidable French champions.
Northampton enters the quarter-finals on the back of impressive victories, having overcome Saracens 31-22 with a resilient second-half performance last Saturday and narrowly defeated Castres Olympique 49-41 earlier that week. Despite an injury-hit squad, the Saints have shown remarkable depth and determination.
Bath’s Head of Rugby, Johann van Graan, acknowledged the quality of the opposition and the significance of the upcoming fixture. “This is the Premiership champions against the runners-up from last season’s European Champions Cup final. Northampton is a team we highly respect, having faced them in some intense battles recently,” he stated.
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Highlighting what’s at stake, van Graan added, “The winner will face either the reigning Champions Cup winners Bordeaux or French champions Toulouse. These are special moments for the club, moments we must acknowledge and enjoy, as they haven’t come around often.”
On the injury front, Bath’s squad remains largely intact with key players fit and ready, apart from England tighthead prop Will Stuart, who is continuing his recovery from an Achilles injury. “We’re looking very good,” van Graan reported. “After Saturday’s hard-fought game, we only have a few bumps and bruises. Will Stuart’s rehab is going phenomenally well. Jaco Coetzee is steadily recovering from his ACL injury, and Ciaran Donoghue has returned to training, though he isn’t match-fit yet. Younger players Jack Woods and Charlie Griffin have undergone surgeries, while Sam Harris is working hard on his comeback. Overall, the squad is in excellent shape.”
Bath’s campaign has been largely smooth, aside from a notable 21-41 home defeat to Northampton in December, where the Saints dominated particularly through their centres, with England’s Tommy Freeman scoring a hat-trick. However, van Graan is clear this past defeat won’t affect the team’s mindset for Friday’s encounter.
“We haven’t discussed the December game at all,” he emphasized. “What’s remarkable about this group is how we always start from zero. We learnt a lot from that match and moved on. Northampton remains a team we respect deeply; they are playing some fantastic rugby right now, featuring some of the best players in the Premiership. This quarter-final is a knockout, and all focus is on the game and the occasion at 8 pm on Friday.”