South African interest, from a franchise perspective, may have ended way too prematurely in this season’s Investec Champions’ Cup, but this weekend at least, there is one local coach who has the opportunity to stake a massive claim in the competition, against the greatest odds.
Sunday’s second semifinal will pit the best attacking team in the competition - Bordeaux-Begles - against Johann van Graan’s Bath side in a totally absorbing contest that could either see the defending champions’ take another step towards back-to-back titles, or an upset that could cause a bit of a stir in the European rugby world and underline the coaching credentials of one of the hardest workers of the game.
Van Graan isn’t an overnight success - he has been a disciple of the game since he was 16-years old and impressed Heyneke Meyer with his analytical skills, joining the Bulls as a technical analyst at the time.
His foray into coaching, driven by passion and heart, and an eduring love of the game for the former Loftus Versfeld ball-boy, turned into a career when Meyer appointed him as one of his assistant coaches.
STARTED AT THE BULLS
The ride along with the Bulls in their years they won three Super Rugby titles, not only formed and shaped Van Graan, but it instilled a hunger to go further, and do more.
A background voice, often under the radar in Meyer’s Springbok coaching group, and later along with Franco Smith in the ill-fated Allister Coetzee era, he saw it all, the good and the bad and worked even harder.
It was a surprise when he moved to Munster to further his coaching career, but it was a move to take him out of his comfort zone. At Munster the culture was different, the results up and down and Van Graan was relatively successful, although the success was always measured in the shadow of Leinster next door.
He proved at the time he was not unwilling to have different voices - the appointment of Graham Rowntree and Stephan Larkham as assistant coaches were exceptional choices. Larkham has gone on to great success with the Brumbries and Rowntree won the URC the season after Van Graan departed.
The move to Bath was another interesting one. A club looking to be reformed under Billionaire Bruce Craig and with a lot of ambition, but which had ended bottom of the log before Van Graan got there, there was a lot of work to do.
BATH AMBITION WAS A GOOD FIT
But that was the challenge he needed as he set about - with the backing of Craig - reshaping the club into a success. The signing of Finn Russell and Thomas du Toit were ambitious moves, and they started to turn the team around.
More than that, though, Van Graan started to find his groove. His simple mantra of trust and hard work seemed to find comfort in a club that needed some honesty, and his embrace of the local coaching structures, and the vision he painted for the club fitted hand in glove with their ambition.
Within a season they were winning again. Last season Van Graan took them to the Premiership Cup, the EPCR Challenge Cup and the Premiership title. A treble that was under-celebrated by a coach who is always focused.
It isn’t untoward to see Van Graan finally cracking a smile after a win, although for most of the time, his focus never wavers. As players live and die by emotion, the job for Van Graan is never done until it is done.
So this weekend it may or may not be the crowning glory of facing one of the world’s best teams, it is definitely the challenge of rising up to their standard and giving Bath a shot at a title they have only won once - back in the 1997/8 season when they beat Brive 19-18 in the battle of Bordeaux.
Few sides are given a chance when they face Bordeaux, especially in the form they are currently in. The irony of their coaching team including two coaches the Sharks had in Durban but let go - Frenchman Yannick Bru and Irishman Noel Mcnamarra - won’t be lost on Durban fans as their side struggles through another season.
HARD WORKER
But Sunday is another step in Van Graan’s quiet rise to the top as an exceptional international coach.
There are few coaches who work harder, plan more meticulously or who love the soul of the rugby game than Van Graan.
Sunday will be an exceptional game and a reminder of what coaching talent there is. Sometimes a change of scenery and a new challenge outside your comfort zone is just what you need as a coach.
At some point, Van Graan’s name will be seen as a possibility for the future Springbok coach. It will be a role that he would covet and treat with the respect it deserves.
For now though, his focus is on Bordeaux and their superstars. Bath will go hammer and tongs.
And whatever the scoreline, Van Graan has already won by getting to this point. And certainly deserves all the plaudits he will get.