Former Munster boss Johann van Graan back as Bath aim to dent Leinster train

Last seen on these shores in 2022, former Munster head coach Johann van Graan is back as Bath bid to halt Leinster's Champions Cup momentum.

Van Graan's last contribution as Munster boss was a hapless URC quarter-final loss in Belfast; the South African had spent five seasons here and brought the province to two European semi-finals and one URC final.

It was evident that night at the Kingspan that the players didn't want to be there, taking their lead from the head coach, who had announced his departure seven months previous, after triggering a release clause in his contract.

It left a sour taste in the mouth of many as he upped sticks and headed for what he felt were greener pastures.

Van Graan had taken over at the two-time European champions on the recommendation of Rassie Erasmus, who himself departed the province unexpectedly back in 2017 to take on the Springbok project – he hasn’t looked back since.

The Ireland to England move wasn’t new and it mirrored Pat Lam’s switch from Connacht to Bristol in 2017, another transfer that came as a shock when announced.

It was felt that, at Munster, Van Graan didn’t get the best out of a talented bunch, preferring a more conservative game plan, even after adding Australian Stephen Larkham to his coaching staff in 2019.

He could always make the case that he was playing to his team’s strengths.

With Conor Murray, he had the best box-kicking scrum-half around, in Keith Earls and Andrew Conway, two of the best kick-chasers in the game.

Up front he had the defensive lineout and breakdown prowess of Peter O’Mahony and Tadhg Beirne.

It worked well up to the point where a Saracens, Racing 92 or Toulouse team stood in their way, and when they met in Champions Cup knock-outs, it looked like a plan