Former Springbok assistant coach Johann van Graan’s incredible season thus far coaching Bath Rugby has made him one of the leading candidates to replace Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus when the time comes.
While nobody is looking for a replacement just yet, and Erasmus is in the job until at least the Rugby World Cup in 2027, the debate about who is next in line will certainly heat up after the World Cup and if Van Graan’s rise continues, he is likely to be front of line if a replacement is sought.
The former Bulls assistant coach, who started his rugby career as a ballboy at Loftus Versfeld, later transforming into a technical assistant for Heyneke Meyer’s all conquering Bulls side later on and then onto the Springbok assistant job under both Meyer and Allister coetzee, Van Graan’s transformation of Bath has been impressive.
While his success at Munster was often understated, and perhaps undermined by personality politics at the Irish province, he left for Bath with the club at the bottom of the premiership and desperately looking for a revamp.
With a savvy owner providing the right financial backing, he kept on the assistant coaches from the club and recruited cleverly, providing the club with the building blocks for success, taking them to the Premiership final last season and qualifying for the Investec Champions’ Cup.
And while their season in Europe wasn’t as it should have been - losing a home opener to French giants La Rochelle by the smallest of margins, followed by a defeat in the last minute to Benetton with a weakened squad and then a second half mauling by Leinster in Dublin, it wasn’t to keep Bath down.
Their EPCR Challenge Cup march saw them defeat Pau in the south of France before putting 60 points on Gloucester and then winning an entertaining semifinal against Edinburgh a few weeks back.
FAVOURABLE CALLS
On Friday night they may have been favoured by some of the calls from referee Hollie Davidson, especially the fortuitous call on Sam Underwood’s head shot that should probably have been red, but the 37-12 scoreline made many of those arguments moot.
Lyon are a tough side to beat on the best of days, and Bath demolished them with ease.
In the English Premiership Bath have already claimed the Premiership Cup and finished top of the league standings. They now have the playoffs to look forward to and if all goes well there they could get the treble - and give Van Graan the perfect season.
The former Bulls and Bok assistant is known for his meticulous planning, his attention to detail and his interpersonal skills with players, who speak very highly of him both on and off record.
And when the Boks go looking for someone new, they may first look inside the coaching squad, with assistants Deon Davids and Mzwandile Stick putting up their hands, and the continuity argument would be very valid.
A GOOD FIT FOR THE BOKS
But if they are looking for a change, and a fresh start, Van Graan would do them no harm and given the tools, would be a good fit for the Boks as well. Ironically the other South African coach doing well in Europe - Franco Smith, who won the Vodacom United Rugby Championship with Glasgow Warriors, was the backline coach for Coetzee’s Bok management, with Van Graan taking the forwards.
The Springboks’ success has to be applauded and Erasmus has done an exceptional job in his time with the national side, with two World Cup titles to boot, and few in the country wanting a change.
But all coaches know that at some stage, change will come and the Boks will be looking for someone who can continue that success.
All Van Graan can continue doing is to work hard, and ensure that the dynasty he is building at Bath continues for a long time.
And if the call ever comes, he can be ready.
But for now, that success can be celebrated, and is a reminder that hard work does pay off.