Latest news with #JohannVanGraan
Irish Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Leo Cullen and Ronan O'Gara to renew rivalry as Leinster pooled with La Rochelle in Champions Cup draw
Leinster have been drawn in the same Pool Three as French club La Rochelle for next season's Champions Cup continuing a growing rivalry between the sides that reaches back to the 2021 tournament. Since then, the two heavy hitters have faced each other six times with three wins each and Leinster coming out on top, 14-16, in the last meeting in January at Stade Marcel Deflandre. As well as La Rochelle, Leinster have two English Premiership clubs; Leicester Tigers, who last won the competition in 2002, and Harlequins, another French club Aviron Bayonnais, and South African side Stormers. Which Irish players have impressed for the Lions? Listen | 43:53 Because Leinster are in the URC with the Stormers, they will play only against the four other teams in the pool, either home or away. READ MORE Munster, who were knocked out last season by Bordeaux at the quarter-final stage, were drawn in Pool Two along with French clubs Toulon and Castres, English sides Bath and Gloucester, and Scotland's Edinburgh. Munster have carved out their own little bit of history with Castres and have played against them three times since 2021, the last meeting taking place in December 2024 at Stade Pierre-Fabre, where the home side edged out the province 16-14. Bath head coach Johann Van Graan. Photograph: Bradley Collyer/PA Munster's players will also reacquaint themselves with former coach Johann van Graan, who has been head of rugby at Bath since 2022. He had been at Munster from 2017 before leading the English side to victory in this season's Premiership, ending a 29-year drought. Leinster, Toulouse, Bath and Bordeaux were separated for the draw as the four nominated Tier 1 sides. Bordeaux won the trophy this year and Toulouse beat Leinster in the final in 2024, while Leo Cullen's side won this year's URC and Bath the Premiership. The 2026 Champions Cup final is set to take place at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao on Saturday, May 23rd. In the Challenge Cup, Connacht, under new coach Stuart Lancaster, have been drawn in the same pool as Zebre Parma with Georgian side Black Lion also among their opponents. The Black Lion franchise was created in 2021 to participate in the Rugby Europe Super Cup and is owned by the Georgian Rugby Federation, which employs the players. Stuart Lancaster was named Connacht's new head coach last month. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho Connacht played Zebre Parma last December at Dexcom Stadium, winning 43-12 before making a run to the quarter-finals and narrowly falling to Racing 92 in Galway. Ospreys, Montpellier and US Montauban completes Connacht's Pool One. Ulster have been drawn in Pool Three with some stiff opposition. The French Top 14 provides Racing 92 and Stade Francais, with Exeter, Cardiff and the South African Cheetahs completing the pool. The possibility is that coach Richie Murphy and his Ulster side could find themselves travelling to France twice to face the two heavyweight Parisian teams. Ulster are in the second-tier competition having finished 14th in last season's URC. Leo Cullen's ongoing jousting with La Rochelle coach Ronan O'Gara is the most eye-catching of the meetings across the two tiers. In their January meeting, the hosts dominated the first half before Leinster went in ahead at the break through a well-taken try from Joe McCarthy. Leinster outhalf Sam Prendergast kicked a few penalties to extend the lead but La Rochelle hit back through Dillyn Leyds to set up a fraught finale. It took a sturdy defensive effort for Leinster to hold on and secure a place in the last 16. La Rochelle head coach Ronan O'Gara ahead of the Champions Cup game against Leinster at Stade Marcel Deflandre in January. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho With the pools now set, the fixture schedules for both tournaments, including dates, venues, kick-off times and TV coverage, will be announced later this month. Fixtures are determined following the input of individual club calendar and venue considerations, broadcast requirements, and league calendar restrictions. The season will again be played over eight weekends, with four rounds of matches in the pool stages followed by the knock-out stages, consisting of a Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final in May. Meanwhile, Munster confirmed their preseason friendly against Biarritz Olympique, which had been due to take place on Friday, August 22nd, has been cancelled by the Basque club. Biarritz informed Munster this week that due to a delay to pitch renovations at the Stade Aguilera, they are unable to host the preseason fixture. Both clubs explored alternative venues in the hope the match could go ahead, but no viable and workable solutions were found. Munster will now make alternative arrangements regarding preseason preparations. Champions Cup 2025/26 pools: Pool One: Stade Toulousain, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Hollywoodbets Sharks, Saracens, Glasgow Warriors, Sale Sharks Pool Two: Bath Rugby, RC Toulon, Munster Rugby , Castres Olympique, Edinburgh Rugby, Gloucester Rugby Pool Three: Leinster Rugby , Leicester Tigers, Harlequins, Stade Rochelais, Aviron Bayonnais, DHL Stormers Pool Four: Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Scarlets, Bristol Bears, Section Paloise, Northampton Saints, Vodacom Bulls Challenge Cup 2025/26 pools: Pool One: Ospreys, Zebre Parma, Montpellier Hérault Rugby, US Montauban, Black Lion, Connacht Rugby Pool Two: LOU Rugby, Newcastle Falcons, Dragons RFC, Benetton Rugby, Lions, USAP Pool Three: Toyota Cheetahs, Cardiff Rugby, Exeter Chiefs, Racing 92, Stade Français Paris, Ulster Rugby
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Russell signs new deal at Premiership champions Bath
Scotland captain and British and Irish Lions fly-half Finn Russell has signed a new deal with Bath until 2028, the newly crowned Premiership champions announced on Thursday. The 32-year-old kicked 13 points and added an impressive interception in Saturday's 23-21 victory over Leicester in the Premiership final at Twickenham. Advertisement The win was Bath's first Premiership title in 29 years and sealed a treble, with the European Challenge Cup and the Premiership Rugby Cup already secured. Russell, who joined Bath in 2023, has made 45 appearances and scored 420 points in all competitions for the club. "I have loved my time here at Bath," said the playmaker, part of the Lions squad for their upcoming tour to Australia. "It's a great team and a great club. We've come a long way over the last couple of years and I am really looking forward to staying here and seeing what the club can achieve." Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan, who has transformed the team side from rock-bottom finishers in 2021/22 to league champions, said: "Finn is one of the world's best 10s, a player who performs in the big moments and more importantly he's an incredible team man and a family man. "He is one of the lads, his training is exceptional, and he's added so much to our group." jw/bsp
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Finn Russell signs new contract at Bath following Premiership final win
British and Irish Lions fly-half Finn Russell has penned a new three-year contract at Bath after helping secure their first Premiership title in 29 years. The Scotland captain kicked 32 points and assisted Max Ojomoh for his try as Bath ground out a tense 23-21 win over Leicester Tigers, avenging Premiership final heartache from the season prior at Twickenham. Advertisement Russell, 32, has been integral to the side since his arrival from Racing 92 in 2023, also helping guide Bath to the European Challenge Cup in a remarkable season of success. "I have loved my time here at Bath," Russell told the club's official website. 'It's a great team and a great club.' "We've come a long way over the last couple of years, and I am really looking forward to staying here and seeing what the club can achieve. "The fans have been outstanding since I got here. We've had some big results at home and that's just our way of giving back to the fans and trying to represent them in the right way." Advertisement Russell has 45 appearances for the club under his belt for Bath, scoring 420 points in that time, including four tries. His new deal means he remains one of the league's best-paid players, reportedly earning £1m a season as Bath's non-salary cap player. Tying their top talent down, Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan is delighted to keep the services of one of the 'world's best' at his disposal. "It's amazing news,' Van Graan said. 'Finn is one of the world's best 10s, a player who performs in the big moments and more importantly he's an incredible team man and a family man. "He is one of the lads, his training is exceptional, and he's added so much to our group. It's great that he'll be staying on at Bath Rugby and continuing his journey with the Blue, Black and White." Russell has joined up with Andy Farrell's Lions squad ahead of their summer's series in Australia, with a pre-tour in Argentina kicking off on Friday.
The Independent
19-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Finn Russell signs new contract at Bath following Premiership final win
British and Irish Lions fly-half Finn Russell has penned a new three-year contract at Bath after helping secure their first Premiership title in 29 years. The Scotland captain kicked 32 points and assisted Max Ojomoh for his try as Bath ground out a tense 23-21 win over Leicester Tigers, avenging Premiership final heartache from the season prior at Twickenham. Russell, 32, has been integral to the side since his arrival from Racing 92 in 2023, also helping guide Bath to the European Challenge Cup in a remarkable season of success. "I have loved my time here at Bath," Russell told the club's official website. 'It's a great team and a great club.' "We've come a long way over the last couple of years, and I am really looking forward to staying here and seeing what the club can achieve. "The fans have been outstanding since I got here. We've had some big results at home and that's just our way of giving back to the fans and trying to represent them in the right way." Russell has 45 appearances for the club under his belt for Bath, scoring 420 points in that time, including four tries. His new deal means he remains one of the league's best-paid players, reportedly earning £1m a season as Bath's non-salary cap player. Tying their top talent down, Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan is delighted to keep the services of one of the 'world's best' at his disposal. "It's amazing news,' Van Graan said. 'Finn is one of the world's best 10s, a player who performs in the big moments and more importantly he's an incredible team man and a family man. "He is one of the lads, his training is exceptional, and he's added so much to our group. It's great that he'll be staying on at Bath Rugby and continuing his journey with the Blue, Black and White."
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Finn Russell savours Bath win as he looks forward to Lions Test
Had Handré Pollard done his homework he might have known what was coming. For Finn Russell has previous with intercepts when attacking Twickenham's south stand. It was playing that way that he picked off Owen Farrell's pass before streaking clear in the madcap 38-38 draw between England and Scotland in 2019. And he was at it again on Saturday, coming up with the decisive moment in Bath's dogged Premiership final victory over Leicester. On this occasion he did not finish off the try himself – you suspect he probably could have – instead flinging a nonchalant pass inside to the onrushing Max Ojomoh. In a final short on champagne moments, it put the fizz in Bath's performance, extending their lead to 20-7 before a second penalty of the match proved pivotal in ensuring the 29-year wait for a Premiership title was over. Advertisement Listen to him explain his decision to make the pass to Ojomoh – whose father, Steve, was part of the Bath side that last won the title, in 1996 – and you get a pretty good idea of how the coach, Johann van Graan, has been able to end that wait, three years after taking charge of a club that was full of high-quality individuals, less so an emphasis on the collective. Related: Bath's treble win blends yesteryear charm with the recently unthinkable | Michael Aylwin 'He is a young player from Bath, who has only ever been at Bath, he is character and a brilliant player and I think for him scoring that in the final, I would like to think it is a big thing for him,' Russell said. 'He said his dad never scored in the final so he has got one over him there, he just needs to get an England cap now. 'The first time I met [Johann], I chatted to him as a man. He said: 'I know what you do on the pitch, I want to get to know you as a guy.' That is what he is, he wants a team full of good men. Whatever team you go to, you want to win stuff obviously, and I think with the recruitment he had, players and coaches, there was a real excitement from me to have the opportunity to come here.' Advertisement When the final whistle blew after Russell had thumped the ball into the crowd, there were the customary scenes of jubilation but the overriding emotion soon seemed to morph towards a blend of satisfaction and relief. For Bath have long since been favourites for the Premiership title: they had a home semi-final sewn up in mid-May and, having lifted the Premiership Cup and Challenge Cup, they were closing in on an historic treble. That brings expectation but, as Russell says, Bath have developed a winning knack this season. Russell himself has been key to that, relishing the extra dose of pragmatism that he has developed in his two seasons at Bath. He is a different player to the one who won the Pro12 title with Glasgow in 2015 – his last league triumph – and has reaped the rewards. As such he joins up with the British & Irish Lions in Dublin on Monday – after revelling in extended celebrations and a bus parade on Sunday – with a spring in his step. 'When you get to these moments and it is a knockout game it is very different, it is a one-off game so looking forward to the Lions there are three Tests at the end of it, and they are effectively knockout games. You want to win the series, if you don't, that's life. 'It was a tough game [against Leicester] and we weren't at our best but finding a way to win is really important. I am going to celebrate and enjoy this one. It is a special moment, this kind of stuff does not come around often. The last time I won a title like this was 10 years ago and I want to enjoy it, that is important as well.' Advertisement Russell has had to wait almost as long for a Test start with the Lions. In 2017 he was part of the much derided Geography Six, appearing for all of five minutes as a temporary replacement for Dan Biggar against the Hurricanes. Four years later Russell left everyone wondering what might have been, coming off the bench after 10 minutes in the final Test and helping the Lions finally spread their wings after two turgid matches against the Springboks. He has Fin Smith and Marcus Smith for competition this summer but the manner in which he has guided Bath to glory this season is evidence that Russell deserves his shot against Australia. 'When you get to the Lions it is another level of intensity, it is the best of the best from Britain and Ireland,' he said. 'I am looking forward to the challenge, everyone is fighting for Test spots but it is not just getting in the Tests, it is winning them as well. Every training session and every game you play before that counts. 'It is something that has been in the back of my mind since being named in the squad but you have got games to win at Bath, titles to win at Bath, which we have gone on and done. The focus will go on to the Lions and how do I get myself ready for what is coming. When you get there it is the best of the best and you have got to be on it every day training wise and take your chance when it comes.'
