Bath’s head of rugby, Johann van Graan, expressed his satisfaction with centre Ollie Lawrence’s performance in their dominant 40-15 Gallagher Premiership victory over Bristol. Lawrence’s standout display included a try scored from a delicate chip kick by Finn Russell, with another potential try ruled out due to a teammate’s earlier knock-on detected by the TMO.
Having recently returned to the England squad after recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon sustained during international duty in March, Lawrence’s commitment impressed van Graan. “His effort and dedication to getting back on the field is admirable,” he remarked. “He had some crucial moments today, especially in the tight exchanges supporting the forwards. He will continue to grow as the season progresses.”
Van Graan revealed the strategy of managing Lawrence’s workload by having him play three games within this block. Despite losing some players early in the week to the England training camp, which limited Bath’s preparation to just 25 minutes on Thursday, van Graan remained positive about the team’s approach: “We stuck to the way we wanted to play. It was never going to be perfect, but scoring 40 points speaks for itself.”
READ MORE: Bath City Farm Celebrates 30 Years with £30K Appeal to Secure Its Future
READ MORE: ‘Non-starter’ for Bath to Give Up UNESCO Status to Build More Homes
Bristol’s early resilience, leading 15-5 at one stage, gave way in the face of Bath’s pressure, especially after conceding ten penalties in the second half. Van Graan was surprised Bristol didn’t receive more yellow cards given the number of penalties, but he acknowledged the intensity of the game: “They were very defensive on their try line, but our fresh forwards brought energy. It was a fiery contest between two strong sides, and I’m very satisfied with our performance.”
On the Bristol side, director of rugby Pat Lam did not feel the scoreline fully reflected the competitive nature of the match. “I loved the fight from my players,” Lam said. “This four-week period has been tough, especially with limited training opportunities, but the character of this group has shone through. Despite injuries and only being able to train once together, the team fought hard for every moment, putting their bodies on the line.”
Lam added that the tackle count—230 to Bath’s 100—highlighted Bristol’s defensive resilience despite the challenging circumstances. He also noted another injury setback with George Kloska suffering a hamstring injury while jackaling. Despite the defeat, Lam praised Bath’s strength, noting their squad fielded 14 internationals out of 15 starters and labeled them a phenomenal reigning champion team.
“The challenge pushes us to rely on attitude, heart, and defense,” Lam concluded. “Though the penalty count kept us defending a lot, the boys never gave up and kept scrapping for every inch.”