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Bath add former England & Scotland coach to 2023/24 coaching ticket

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At the commencement of pre-season training, Head of Rugby Johann van Graan has added Andy Robinson and Stevie Scott to his coaching team for the 2023/24 season. 

With 249 Bath Rugby appearances to his name, and returning to the club 25 years after leading Bath to European victory, Robinson has been appointed the club’s new Head Academy Coach. 

He will head up Bath Rugby’s Premiership Rugby Cup fixtures in the early stages of the competition, lending his international-level experience to Head of Academy, Craig Lilley, to bring out the young players’ full potential. 

The former Bath Rugby Head Coach will also play a part in van Graan’s senior coaching team as Contact Coach. Robinson assisted Bath Rugby in the latter part of the 2022/23 season as a consultant, where the team finished eighth in the Premiership table and secured their place in the Champions Cup. 

Of his appointment, Robinson said: “I’m glad to be back at Bath and I’m looking forward to making a change on the pitch. There’s a great group of players here and I’m excited to see what I can achieve with the team.” 

Robinson brings with him a wealth of knowledge from his time on the international stage assisting in England’s 2003 World Cup victory, as well as being Head Coach of Scotland and Romania. 

Acknowledging Robinson’s connection with Bath, van Graan said: “I’m excited to have Andy with us and I couldn’t think of a better man to coach here at Bath.

“Andy has achieved a tremendous amount in both his playing and coaching career and is a well-known face in the city. It’ll be great for all of us here to have someone so deeply connected to Bath’s professional rugby history.”


The club can also confirm that Stevie Scott has joined the Blue, Black and White ahead of the 2023/24 season as the new Scrum Coach.

A former Scotland international with 11 caps for his country, the front row has both playing and coaching experience at Edinburgh Rugby, earning 99 caps at the Scottish club and spending four seasons coaching.

Moving to the Premiership in 2010, Scott coached Sale Sharks before moving to Scotland to take up an Assistant Coach role. With time at Utah Warriors and Watsonians also on his resume, Scott is a knowledgeable specialty coach that will add vital experience to Bath’s scrum.

“I’m delighted to be joining Bath Rugby. I think it’s a really exciting time for the club and thankful for the opportunity to work with top-class players and coaches,” said Scott. 

“Bath is home to some of the best forwards in the Premiership and I’m looking forward to a successful season.”

Commenting on his appointment, Bath’s Head of Rugby, Johann van Graan said: “Stevie is a hugely experienced coach, and he’s the right type of person I want coaching with me at the club.

“He’s worked across multiple different competitions and adding him to our coaching set-up will be invaluable for the development of our set piece.”


 

Content & Images from – Bath Rugby


Premiership

INJURY UPDATE | George Ford

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Sale Sharks can confirm that fly-half George Ford suffered a tear to his right quad during the early stages of the Gallagher Premiership round two game at Saracens on Saturday. Following a positive consultation with a specialist it was decided that George does not require surgery and he will now begin his rehab ahead of a busy period for club and country.

Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby


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Premiership

TEAM NEWS | Sale Sharks v Gloucester

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Alex Sanderson has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester Rugby in the first game of the season under the Salford Stadium Friday night lights, while summer signing Le Roux Roets appears in a matchday squad for the first time (Discovery+, 7.45pm KO). 

Josh Beaumont, Ernst van Rhyn and Rouban Birch come into the pack following the round two defeat at Saracens, while Sam Bedlow, Will Addison and Arron Reed are picked in the backs to face George Skivington’s men. 

In total, 12 of the XV and 19 in the matchday 23 have come through or spent time in the Sharks Academy. 

The Sharks front-row remains intact from the trip to the StoneX as England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up once again between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and loosehead Si McIntyre. 

Al has picked a towering second-row as Ben Bamber teams up with Josh Beaumont. 

With Ben and Tom Curry as well as JL du Preez all missing as they undergo their return to play protocols following head injuries, Ernst van Rhyn returns alongside fellow flanker Sam Dugdale and Birch at number 8. 

Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half but with George Ford injured (quad) he’ll have skipper Rob du Preez for company at half-back. After coming on as a replacement against Saracens, Bedlow starts alongside Addison, who makes his first start since re-joining the club in the summer.  

Speedster Arron Reed makes his first appearance of the season alongside Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter. 

Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper cover the front row from the replacements bench with England U20s lock Tom Burrow and summer signing Le Roux Roets covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Waisea Nayacalevu cover the backs. 

Sale Sharks starting XV:

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Will Addison, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Josh Beaumont 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Rouban Birch. 

Replacements: 

16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Le Roux Roets, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Waisea Nayacalevu. 

Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby


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Premiership

TEAM NEWS | Sale Sharks v Saracens

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Injuries have forced Alex Sanderson to make three changes to his starting XV to face Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday (3.05pm KO, Saturday 28th September, live on TNT Sports). 

Si McIntyre replaces last week’s Player of the Match Bevan Rodd (hamstring), while Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale come in for Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry who are both undergoing their return to play protocols after leaving the field during the round one win over Harlequins. 

With Sam Bedlow returning to the bench to make a 5-3 split, the matchday squad features 16 players who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy. 

In the front-row, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and returning loosehead McIntyre. 

Al has picked a towering second-row as Bamber teams up with Hyron Andrews. 

Openside flanker Ben Curry captains the side again and he and Dugdale will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8. 

The backs are unchanged from the narrow win over Quins, with Gus Warr starting again at scrum-half alongside fly-half George Ford, and Rob du Preez and Waisea Nayacalevu outside them in the centres.  

Alex has picked a familiar back three once again with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter hoping to provide the spark. 

The replacements bench is an exclusively Sharks Academy affair with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas, Bedlow and Will Addison cover the backs. 

Sale Sharks Starting lineup: 

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez. 

Replacements: 

16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Will Addison. 

Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby


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