STATEMENT: Bath add a second new coach of the day

The 38-year-old has over a decade’s worth of experience following his early retirement from playing in 2010 due to injury.

Finishing his player career aged 25 whilst at Leicester Tigers, Blaze remained at Welford Road as an Assistant Coach, winning the Premiership in 2012/13, and he developed into the senior side’s Forwards Coach in a period Tigers also made back-to-back Premiership semi-finals.

Whilst with the Tigers, he also held the position of Academy Development Coach and Co-ordinator during the 2017/18 season and led Loughborough Students’ defence in National League 1. In the same year, the former Worcester Warriors lock was named England Under-20s Forwards Coach, aiding the latter’s route to the 2018 World Rugby U20 Championship final.

Blaze became England Women Forwards Coach following the tournament and after two years, he returned to the Premiership with Wasps and was key in them reaching the 2019/20 final. More recently, he has been a consultant Forwards and Defence Coach at Loughborough.

“After a pretty turmoil year for myself, I’m proud to be joining such a historical club and I’m excited by the journey ahead,” Blaze said.

“There is a great group of young players at the club, some who I have worked with before, and I’m looking forward to seeing them grow their game.

“I want to add to the momentum the team has experienced over the past couple of months, and I’m relishing the opportunity to work with Johann and the other coaches to help drive the team towards the top end of the Premiership.”

“The contribution of these men to Bath Rugby has been significant,” Head of Rugby Johann van Graan told the clubs website. 

“We wish nothing but the best for Daz, Doughts, Greeny, Gabe, Val, D’Arcy, Spenny and Wes in their next ventures.

“They have had a positive influence on our group throughout the season and we have enjoyed having them as part of our journey.

“I have no doubt they will succeed in their future endeavours. We wish them all the very best of luck for what’s next.”

A try-scoring machine for the University of Bath in BUCS Super Rugby, Doughty was one of the university game’s hottest topics between 2017 and 2019. His plaudits earned him an opportunity within the Bath Rugby Senior Academy and he debuted in Blue, Black and White against Newcastle Falcons in 2018. 

After a few years learning his trade, which included a brief stint at Coventry in the Championship, the 26-year-old deservedly gained his Premiership stripes at home to Sale Sharks in 2021.

A much loved and popular member of the squad, Doughty went on to feature in Europe for the first time last season and crossed the whitewash on the road in Toulon at the backend of 2022. His maiden Premiership try followed against Northampton Saints in March. 

In total, the hooker made 24 senior appearances for the club. 

“I will miss Doughts’ desire to get better every day,” van Graan said.

“He gave his all in every single training session and match. We wish him well in the next part of his career.”

Green made his switch to the South West in 2017 and has enjoyed six years at the club. 

His debut came in the LV Cup in a win over London Irish in 2017/18, a season where he also achieved his first outings in the Premiership. The following campaign saw the scrum-half appear in the Heineken Champions Cup for the first time, scoring in a 18-16 win over Wasps at The Rec. 

Away from the field, where he has made 45 appearances for the club to date, the 27-year-old has been an influential person in the squad, earning the role of leading on changing room celebrations post-wins. 

“Greeny has been one of the biggest influences in our group,” van Graan said.

“He is a great team man and has a real hunger to perform. We wish him good luck for the next stage of his career.” 

Another to have risen through the Bath Rugby pathway, Hamer-Webb completed 240 minutes in his first three senior outings in the 2019/20 Premiership Rugby Cup before earning a first opportunity to play in the Premiership in November 2019.

He then burst on to the Heineken Champions Cup scene with a scintillating score on his European debut against Ulster and was a regular feature in the squad for the remainder of the Covid season. 

The ex-England Under-20 wing added a second senior European try at the Aviva Stadium against four-time champions Leinster in 2021 and crossed for his maiden Premiership try away at London Irish earlier this season. 

Bath born and bred, the 22-year-old made 32 appearances for his hometown club.

“Gabe has had a difficult year with injury but has shown great determination to continue to bounce back,” van Graan said.

“He is still a young, talented player and I can’t wait to see where his ability takes him.”

Loosehead prop Morozov first arrived at The Rec as injury cover for Beno Obano in the 2021/22 season and was valuable addition to the club’s front row options.

He made 13 appearances in the second half of the campaign following his debut in the Heineken Champions Cup against Stade Rochelais. 

After a brief stint at Worcester Warriors, Morozov returned to Bath in October 2022 bringing great physicality at scrum time and in his ball carrying to the group in his 24 appearances.

“Val has a really difficult period at Worcester Warriors,” van Graan said.

“Since arriving back at Bath, he has given everything every day of the week. His love for the gym and his hard work is something to behold. We wish him all the best for the future.”

Rae has been a stalwart in the Bath team ever since his arrival at the club in the summer of 2021.

A consistent performer, the tighthead prop debuted on the opening day of the 2021/22 season against Sale Sharks and has rarely been unavailable during his two campaigns at the club, thus proving his durability.

He has featured in, to date, 44 matches out of a possible 52 Premiership and European fixtures, plus a Premiership Rugby Cup outing. 

“D’Arcy has been an exceptionally dependable team man for us,” van Graan said.

“He holds an attitude to always put the team first which is very commendable. A proper member of the front row club, we wish him well for what is next.”

#6. Wesley White

White was recruited last summer from Jersey Reds and started his first ever Gallagher Premiership match at openside flanker in Round 2 against Sale Sharks in September 2022.

The 27-year-old proved a nuisance on the field at the breakdown and had his moments in attack too. He scored his first Bath try on the road at league leaders Saracens and added another on his European debut against Glasgow Warriors at The Rec.

A third try came in the exhibition match with the Barbarians with him making a total of eight competitive appearances in Blue, Black and White.

“Wes is an energy giver,” van Graan said.

“He wanted a chance to compete at the top level of English rugby after playing in the Championship and earned his debut in the Premiership and Challenge Cup. It has been great to see him improve throughout his time at the club. We wish him good luck for his next chapter.”

#7. Will Spencer

Spencer’s Bath debut is the earliest out of anyone currently in the squad. The second row came through the club’s pathway to debut against Newport Gwent Dragons in the 2011/12 LV Cup and earned first run-outs in the Heineken Cup and Premiership in the same year.

Following a loan spell at London Welsh, the 30-year-old came back to the West Country in 2020 following time away at Worcester Warriors and Leicester Tigers.

He achieved a half-century of appearances in Blue, Black and White this season when he took to the field against Harlequins in December 2022, and more recently helped see out the Twickenham win over Quins in his 59^th outing.

Van Graan said: “Some of Will’s performances will stay with me for a long time, particularly Exeter away on Christmas Eve with how he hit and carried.

“We wish him all the best for his next venture.”

Atkins is a homegrown talent who has spent the last 11 years at the club, joining the Academy aged 15. He quickly rose through the pathway, debuting for the club at full-back in an 80-minute display against Leicester Tigers in the 2016/17 Anglo-Welsh Cup. 

Soon after, he earned his first Premiership appearance in a 16-9 win over Bristol Bears with a further 29 appearances following in Blue, Black and White across European and domestic competitions.

The former England Under-20 international has also spent time on loan in the Championship at Richmond, Jersey Reds and Yorkshire Carnegie since breaking through at The Rec.

“Daz has had an incredibly tough year with the sad passing of his father but I’ve been extremely impressed by the way he had conducted himself throughout,” van Graan said. 

“He has played a lot of rugby at Richmond this season and we wish him the best for what’s to come.”