Bath Rugby will begin the 2025/26 Gallagher Premiership season without four key players, as confirmed by head of rugby Johann van Graan. After a busy summer of international duty, several of Bath’s stars will be unavailable for the initial rounds.
Van Graan confirmed that Bath’s England internationals—Max Ojomoh, Will Muir, Ben Spencer, Charlie Ewels, Guy Pepper, Ted Hill, and Sam Underhill—will be ready to feature in the league opener against Harlequins on September 26. However, the club’s British and Irish Lions representatives, Finn Russell and Will Stuart, will miss not only this game but also the Premiership home fixture versus Sale Sharks on October 3, only returning to club action in October per Lions protocol.
In addition, Springbok prop Thomas du Toit and new signing from Gloucester, Argentina fullback Santi Carreras, will be engaged with their national teams competing in The Rugby Championship until October 4. This means Bath will start their campaign without their first and second-choice tighthead props and their primary fly-half, Russell.
READ MORE: Major Brands Unveil New Stores in Clarks Village Summer Spectacle
READ MORE: Food and Music Festival Brings Chart-Topping Legends to Bath
To fill these gaps, Ciaran Donoghue and Sam Harris—pending fitness—will cover the number 10 role, especially following the summer departure of Orlando Bailey to Leicester Tigers.
Speaking at the club’s season launch, van Graan emphasized the importance of proper rest and preparation: “Every player has to have a five-week off-season, which all the players back now have completed. Then it’s five weeks of preparation, so most guys will be ready for the opener against Quins.” He added, “Finn and Will have to wait until Round Three, which is Lions Protocol.”
Bath’s preseason schedule includes three friendlies and a Premiership Rugby Cup match before the league opener. They will face Glasgow in a training match, travel to Ireland to play Munster, then return for games against Worcester and Exeter in early September. Van Graan expressed enthusiasm about the extensive preparation ahead and the upcoming season.