Bath Rugby head of rugby Johann van Graan has expressed confidence in former England U20 loosehead prop Scott Kirk, describing him as being ‘primed to have a breakthrough season’ as the club navigates the unexpected loss of key player Jamie Bhatti.
The club entered the new season with substantial strength and depth across most positions. However, the recent injury to Scotland international Bhatti - who suffered a broken forearm during the final pre-season victory against Glasgow Warriors - has left Bath with fewer options at loosehead prop.
Typically, having two international-calibre players covering the front row on both sides of the scrum is a significant advantage. Yet with Bhatti sidelined for a number of months, Bath faced additional challenges during their recent Gallagher Premiership opener against Harlequins at The Stoop. England international Beno Obano was forced off the field following a high tackle and was briefly replaced, momentarily raising concerns about front-row cover.
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Fortunately for Bath, Obano passed his Head Injury Assessment and returned to help his side secure a 33-17 win. This victory places Bath third in the Premiership table, one of five teams to begin the campaign with bonus-point wins.
During Obano’s absence in the last eight minutes of the match, Scott Kirk made his presence felt, coming on for only his sixth Gallagher Premiership appearance. Kirk has been a consistent figure in Bath’s Premiership Rugby Cup side and was previously part of a strong England U20 front row group, alongside players such as Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Afo Fasogbon and Billy Sela.
Van Graan reflected on his squad’s depth at loosehead prop, especially after the summer departures of Francois van Wyk and Thomas du Toit, and the current injury setback. He stated: “I think that is the beauty of rugby and having a squad. You need to back your squad. We will certainly do that.
“I think Scott is primed to have a breakthrough season. You think of the opportunities he had last season and the moments he had.
“That is the beauty of having a squad, and part of being a young player. They need to make the step up at some stage, he has certainly done that over the pre-season, and I thought he did that tonight.”
Regarding potential options to bolster front-row cover beyond trusting the squad, Bath’s salary cap situation restricts new signings. Injury dispensation funds are only available when a player is out for a minimum of twelve consecutive weeks, and Bhatti’s injury is not expected to exceed this threshold. As a result, van Graan’s reliance on his current squad and emerging talents like Kirk remains the practical path forward for the club at this stage.