Bath (rugby club)

The early years

Bath started home games at North Parade, but then the team often changed the arena, playing at Claverton Down, Lambridge Meadows, Taylors Field and Enrietta Park. Finally, the club rented a small piece of land in Paltney Meadow, the place where the Recreation Ground is now located. At the dawn of its history, the Bat competed with local teams: Weston-Super-Mayr, Gloucester, Clifton and Erabs from Bristol . By the last decade of the 19th century, meetings with Welsh teams, mainly with Cardiff and Penart, became regular. Being inappropriately staffed, the Bat was often inferior. The first international match with the club took place in 1907 , when Racing ( Bordeaux ) came to Recreation. In 1954 , the English themselves went to France, triumphing three times: over Saint-Claude (23-3), Givors (9-6) and Tour du Pin (17-0).

The next year, a second tour was held, also successful. “Bat” again outplayed “Saint-Claude” (13-8), “Dijon” (14-0) and “Macon” (8-3). Captain Peter Sibley then demonstrated the fast, offensive nature of the game, the Bug rugby players stick to it to this day. In the final match of the 1984 Cup against Bristol, the trophy was won for the first time. Until 1987 , the club did not concede a victory in this competition to anyone. In total, the team became a triumph of the cup ten times: in 1984–87, 89–90, 92, 94–96.

Having a number of tall, agile athletes, the Bata coaches successfully dictated the conditions of the game in the early seventies. The victories over the largest clubs in Wales during their heyday became illustrations of that period. The situation changed dramatically with the arrival of mentor Jack Rowell in 1978. The coach adjusted the usual tactical scheme, with the advent of money in rugby he hastened with the introduction of professional principles. The interaction on the field was quite harmonious: the power of Gareth Chilcott and Roger Spurrell was complemented by the accuracy of John Horton and David Trick.

The first season of the Premier League was held in 1986, and at the early stage of its development the team dominated. For eight years, rugby players became champions six times, four times making a “double”. The 1988/89 season can be considered the quintessential “Bata” of the eighties. Players lost in only one match out of eleven. To stop already unattainable favorites, playing not the best composition, could only “Leicester”. A week later a similar meeting took place, but within the framework of the cup. With a score of 10-6, “Bat” won, it was the club’s first take.

In 1990, the team again won the cup, inflicting an insulting defeat on Gloucester (48-6).

According to the results of the 1993/94 season, rugby players won four cups. Successful campaigns in the Middlesex Sevens and Worthington Tens tournaments have added to the victories in the Premier League (first held in two rounds) and the cup (the final rival is Leicester). Later, with the transfer of rugby to a commercial basis, competition in England intensified, and the Bat, which remained an amateur club, no longer showed such an unconditional superiority.

In May 1996, the Bat and the Wigan rugby team played two matches according to the rules of both variations. Teams predictably turned out to be stronger in their disciplines: Wigan won rugby league with a score of 82–6, in rugby 15 they defeated Bat: 44–19.

Professional Period

The departure of Jack Rowell in the England national team in the 95th and the official formation of professional rugby in the 96th destabilized the situation in the club. Regular changes in the coaching staff (including the appointment of Andy Robinson as the coach of the same team) and the endless transitions of rugby players showed an active search for optimal conditions in which the team could return to the leading position. Nevertheless, Batu's local victories were successful, in particular, athletes celebrated success in the Heineken Cup before the other English clubs (1997/98 season). The decisive match was held in Bordeaux , another French final was Brive, the game itself ended with a score of 19–18 (all the points for Bata were earned by John Collard).

Things were not going well in the domestic arena. The next season, the club sank to sixth place. The drawing of 2002-03. turned out to be a failure: one tournament point saved in the last round saved the Bat from relegation.

In addition to demotion, the team escaped association with the eternal rival Bristol. In the offseason, management allocated money to buy new players: during the summer of 2003, at least fifteen changes took place in the roster. Jack Rowell and Michael Foley carried out the selection accurately and accurately, and their successor John Connolly managed to rally the rugby players. The team took first place in the regular season 2003/04, ahead of the closest pursuers from the London Wosp by six points. However, in the playoffs, the Wosps turned out to be stronger, the capital club became the champion.

In the 2004/05 season, the Bat finished fourth in the Premier League. In the Anglo-Welsh Cup, the team reached the finals, losing there to Leeds. 1/2 of the final was remembered for the dramatic confrontation with Gloucester, which was resolved in extra time. The line of defense due to injuries significantly weakened, only two-thirds of athletes sometimes demonstrated a game corresponding to the level. Matt Stevens and Danny Gruckock joined the 2005 Lions (UK and Ireland national) New Zealand tour.

Toward the end of the season, Connolly announced his desire to return to his native Australia, believing that in “Bath” he created one of the strongest club rugby teams. In November 2005, Brian Ashton, a former manager of the English National Academy, was appointed mentor. He entered the coaching staff in the 80s and 90s, contributing to the victory of the “Bata” of that time. But in May of next year, there were rumors about his possible return to a post in the England team. On May 25, the information was confirmed, the club released the specialist for a certain compensation, the value of which was not disclosed.

Among the famous players of our time playing on the team are Jeremy Gaskott, one of the first Americans to gain a foothold in Britain, Dan Lyle, England captain Phil de Glenville and Andy Robinson, and later England and Scotland national team coach.

In the seasons 2004/05 and 2005/06, Bat participated in the Heineken Cup - the most prestigious club competition in Europe. In the quarterfinals of 2006, rugby players defeated Leicester without difficulty, losing two colleagues ten minutes before the end of the match. The semifinal match was lost to the French Biarritz. Having finished the season in the league in ninth place, the team lost the right to continue playing in this competition next year.

Other coaches left Ashton along with the club: Michael Foley returned to Australia, Richard Graham moved to the Saracens. Defender coach Steve Mian was appointed Acting Head of the coaching staff. ^[2] Later he was approved in this position.

In 2008, “Bat” won the trophy for the first time in ten years, beating Worcester in the final of the European Challenge Cup. It is noteworthy that in 2003 and 2007. the team was already entering the decisive match of the tournament, but there were failures. Steve Bortwick was elected as the player of the match, who joined the Sarasins the following season. Having won the draw, the Worcester rugby players in the first half played downwind. However, this did not prevent their opponent from seizing the initiative and by the 15th minute to seize the leadership, which was eventually brought to a victorious score of 24-16.

Change of ownership

On April 14, 2010 , the club’s press service announced the new owner and unveiled ambitious development plans for the team. ^[3] Specific statements carried the following information:

• Andrew Brownsword, owner and president of the club, along with his trustees sells 100% of the shares to Bruce Craig, an entrepreneur and former rugby player.
• A proposal is made to move the team office and build an elite training complex in Farley House, near the city center.
• The new layout of the stadium for 20-25 thousand seats should be approved within twelve months.

• Premier League : 1988/89, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1995/96;
• Anglo-Welsh Cup : 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996;
• Heineken Cup : 1997/98;
• European Challenge Cup: 2008.

The official fan club was formed in January 1997. The initiative belongs to Jake Massey, who has supported the Bat throughout the professional period.

Despite the obvious and close relationship with the rugby club, the fan club remains independent, 11 members are elected to its steering committee. The head of "Bath" is also an official member of the fan club, of which there are currently more than a thousand. Adult fans pay an annual fee of five pounds, children ("juniors") three, family memberships cost ten pounds a year. Each participant has a special badge and card, which are modified before the start of each season. In addition, fans are provided with discounts at some stores in the city, including, of course, club.

Recreation Ground Stadium is located in the center of Bath, next to the Lower Avon River. By the 2009/10 season, the arena has been expanded to 11,700 seats, all home matches of the club have been held there. In summer, the pitch adjusts for cricket . Then the stadium is used for local competitions in this sport, as well as, once a year, by the Somerset County team.

Extension

In 2009, CEO Nick Blofeld announced that the club was looking for an arena with 20 thousand seats that would meet the requirements of modern rugby. Also, the object must have the resources for expansion, include all kinds of shops and cafes. ^[4] Due to the poor location, further development of Recreation is unlikely. Management considers other construction sites, such as Western Riverside Development. ^[5]

Current squad

The composition of the team for the season 2017/18 ^[6] :

• Club official website
• Official Fan Site