By Louis Chapman-Coombe
Bath Director of Rugby Johann van Graan is cautious of a big Chiefs response this weekend, but he has also called for his side to deliver a consistent performance of their own.
Van Graan’s side came up second best to Harlequins last weekend following a slow start, and despite a heroic late comeback it was too little too late as they ultimately fell to a 40-36 defeat in the Capital.
Reflecting on the defeat to Harlequins, van Graan said his team are focusing on a consistent performance this weekend: “Consistency, that’s one of our key words. Whether you win or lose, if you look at each game it’s the exact same and that’s what we’ve been doing for the last 20 months.
He added: “On a Monday, we review it without emotion. When you win a game, it doesn’t mean everything is right and when you lose a game it doesn’t mean everything is wrong. Coaches and players look at what we could have done better, sometimes you’ve got to look at the opposition and that try that Marcus (Smith) scored, you’ve got to say well done to the opposition as well.
“We take out of the game what we can and there’s a lot of positives that we took out of this game and then you move on because the season is too intense to get stuck in moments; you go through them and then we crack on with another week.”
It isn’t just Bath that will be looking for a response this weekend, as Exeter will also be looking to write their own wrongs.
The Chiefs fell to a heavy 41-5 defeat to Sale Sharks on Easter Sunday, but a return to Sandy Park gives the Devonians the perfect tonic to put this performance behind them.
Van Graan said he, of course, is expecting a response from Rob Baxter’s men at home, but he also took a moment to praise the overall quality of the Premiership.
“Bristol beat Northampton, who beat Saracens, who beat Quins, who beat Bath, who beat Sale, who beat Exeter, something like that if my facts are correct; how good is this Premiership. Teams two to eight (in the table) all on eight wins; so, you know there’s going to be a reaction every week.”
He also detailed his team need to focus on themselves, rather than worry about a potential response from Exeter: “For us, it’s not about being reactive it’s about being proactive, and we’ve had a constant message for the last 20 months to focus on ourselves and we want to see growth in our own group.”