Togetherness key to success says Bath coach Van Graan

LONDON -Bath coach Johann van Graan praised the togetherness of his club after they beat Leicester 23-21 to win the Premiership title for the first time since 1996 on Saturday, three years after finishing bottom of the league.

The South African oversaw the turnaround that took Bath to the final last year, before finishing the regular season 11 points clear this year and holding off a late fightback from old rivals Leicester to secure a memorable triumph in the final.

Its for every player, every staff member, everyone involved in the club, and especially the supporters, Van Graan said. We spoke about connection and what I saw before the game when we got off that bus was one of the best experiences I’ve had in the game.

The victory completed a superb treble this season after Bath earlier bagged the Premiership Cup and European Challenge Cup.

Winning the Challenge Cup was brilliant but at the start of the year the goal was to win the Premiership, said flyhalf Finn Russell.

Its special. This group, the city, the club deserves it. The work weve put in over the last few years and then what we do on the pitch is try to represent the city as best we can.

After last years defeat, we bounced back really quickly and we managed to get the job done.

Russell looked certain to score an interception try in the second half but then threw a pass to supporting Max Ojomoh, drawing gasps from the astonished Twickenham crowd.

Hes a kid from Bath that grew up watching his dad (England and Bath flanker Steve) lifting this trophy, Russell said. Giving him a little bit of limelight in the final was nice.

Veteran scrumhalf Ben Spencer, a title winner with Saracens, said: What weve done this