Bath boss Johann van Graan unlikely to be tempted by Blue Bulls homecoming
Van Graan is understood to have been put on a high-profile four-man shortlist for the vacant head coach job at the
Bulls
Bath Rugby is certain Johann van Graan won’t be influenced by a dream comeback to his childhood team, the Blue
Bulls, and will continue to lead the Gallagher Premiership winners in rugby for 2025–2026 and beyond.
The South African, who was raised in Loftus Versfeld, where his father Barend served as CEO until 2019 after being a
member of the team since 1983, is reportedly on a four-man shortlist to succeed Jake White, who left the United
Rugby Championship team last week after the board reviewed the season following their loss to Leinster in the
league final. Although the team’s performance on the pitch remained competitive, there was apparently significant
dissatisfaction among the players.
with fellow South Africans Johann Ackermann, Franco Smith, and Jacques Nienaber. He recently led Bath to a treble
of trophies in 2024–2025, ending a 17-year wait for silverware at the English club.
However, van Graan, who was a ball boy with the Bulls as a kid before Heyneke Meyer gave him his first analyst
position at the age of 16, has the longest term of the four guys, having extended his Bath contract until 2030.
Everything van Graan is doing at Bath screams long-term thinking, even while RugbyPass claims that his contract
includes provisions permitting an earlier departure. Finding and nurturing the next generation of players is taking
up as much time and energy for the 45-year-old as winning championships right away. His top priority is creating a
dynasty at the Recreation Ground, something no Premiership coach has been able to accomplish since the Saracens’
pay cap-breaking days.
The position of head coach of the Springboks is the only one that is likely to tempt van Graan to abandon his goal in
the West Country before the year ends. However, it doesn’t seem probable that will alter until after the Rugby World
Cup in 2027.
Van Graan has spoken previously about timing and fate when it comes to jobs, having missed out on moving to Bath
back in 2016, only for owner Bruce Craig to get his man in 2022, and it seems like the timing is against a move to the
Bulls.
The most accessible coach on the rumoured shortlist is Johann Ackermann, the former manager of Gloucester. He
may accept the position in Pretoria at the end of the month. He is currently serving as a consultant coach for the
South Africa U20s for the U20 World Championships. Last time out, the Baby Boks defeated the England U20s 32–
22.
Smith, the head coach of Glasgow, has one more year left on his deal with the Scottish team. Smith has also been
connected to the Scotland and Wales national positions. Nienaber is the head coach of Leinster, the URC champions,
and it doesn’t appear that he will leave.
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