Bath Rugby will welcome a significant injury boost as they gear up for Friday night’s pivotal Investec Champions Cup fixture against Castres Olympique in France.
The current Gallagher Premiership champions aim to strengthen their position atop Pool 2, which remains highly competitive after each of the six teams has recorded one win and one loss in the opening rounds. With the top four advancing to the knockout stage and the top two securing home advantage, this match holds critical importance.
A win against Castres, who are struggling in 10th place in their domestic league this season, would put Bath in a commanding position within the group.
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Bath’s head of rugby, Johann van Graan, known for his strategic squad rotation, confirmed that centre Max Ojomoh and full-back Tom de Glanville have both recovered from the calf injuries they suffered in the December 27 home defeat to Northampton Saints. The two were sidelined for last weekend’s 33-26 victory over Exeter Chiefs but have now returned to full training.
The pair’s injury originated from a strange collision with the post pad during the Northampton game, which initially raised concerns. While Cam Redpath and Santi Carreras are expected to retain their starting roles, Ojomoh’s return is particularly encouraging with an important home game against Edinburgh on the horizon.
In a midweek press conference, van Graan said: “Max Ojomoh and Tom de Glanville are available for selection and back in training. We’ll assess the squad further for any lingering knocks and bruises before making the final call. Overall, the squad is in a healthy place right now.”
However, Bath will be without Charlie Ewels, who is sidelined due to an infected leg, and Ewan Richards, who remains unavailable due to an ankle injury that has not improved as hoped.
Despite these absences in the second row, Bath’s squad depth remains impressive. Van Graan still has four internationals to call on in the engine room: Quinn Roux, Ross Molony, the versatile Ted Hill, and 19-year-old Enoch Opoku-Gymafi. Opoku-Gymafi made his senior Bath debut against Exeter and already holds an Italian international cap from the Autumn Tests against Chile.