Bath’s head of rugby, Johann van Graan, accepted responsibility following their first home defeat in the Premiership since October 2024, when Northampton Saints delivered a stunning 41-21 victory at the Recreation Ground.
Despite resting star players Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell, Northampton’s dynamic running rugby, inspired by England internationals Tommy Freeman—who scored a hat-trick—and Henry Pollock, overwhelmed Bath, who managed three tries. The Saints’ six-try haul propelled them to the top of the Premiership table as they headed into 2026.
Van Graan admitted: “We were clearly beaten by the better team on the day. In the final 30 minutes, Northampton applied relentless pressure, earned key penalties, and against a team like them, it’s tough to keep them out.
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“The first half was an intense back-and-forth with both teams playing expansive rugby. After halftime, we had a chance to pull ahead at 21-14, but the last half hour just wasn’t good enough from our side.”
He continued, “As a group, we win together and lose together. We were beaten by the better side tonight. We had some good moments—particularly in the first half—and created clear opportunities just meters from their try line that we didn’t capitalize on.
“Losing is never easy, but this shows the high quality across the Premiership; anyone can beat anyone on the day. We’ll analyze the game thoroughly on Monday and move forward.”
Van Graan provided little clarity on the injury to centre Max Ojomoh, who was taken off after a collision near the home posts. “I don’t have detailed information yet, but it looks like a calf injury. He will have a scan, and we should know more early next week.”
Meanwhile, Northampton Saints’ Director of Rugby, Phil Dowson, praised his side’s performance, emphasizing their commitment to their style of play. “It was very pleasing to deliver such a performance against a quality team like Bath, especially during the busy Christmas period.
“Our aim is to play our way, and we executed that particularly well in the second half. We battled hard throughout and then really found our rhythm.
“No matter who we face, we focus on how we want to play the game. The consistency we’ve shown week to week, even with different players, is a testament to the team’s character.
“Bath are a strong side with great players, but that didn’t change our approach. Every victory is a squad victory. We have a connected group of players who are emotionally invested in what we are trying to achieve.”