'Boys like me push the piano – he plays it': Tom Dunn lauds Bath teammate

Bath hooker Tom Dunn has paid glowing tribute to captain Ben Spencer following their emphatic 37-12 EPCR Challenge Cup final win over Lyon, hailing the scrum-half’s relentless influence as “contagious” as the club homes in on a historic treble.

Dunn, a decade-long servant of the club and Bath’s all-time Premiership appearance leader, watched Spencer deliver a player-of-the-match performance in Cardiff, inspiring a dominant display that secured a second piece of silverware this season.

“Ben is brilliant,” said Dunn. “It is the example he sets.

“He emptied the tank. He chases every kick, he is our main man in defence, he is the one who sets the tempo.

“Boys like me push the piano – he plays it. His decision-making, his skill, his accuracy is contagious to the team and the entire group. He is an example on the pitch.”

Bath, already Premiership Rugby Cup winners, now have just two more hurdles to clear in their pursuit of the league title. Having secured a home semi-final, potentially against West Country rivals Bristol on June 6, they are 160 minutes away from a first Premiership crown since 1996.

Dunn, reflecting on the transformation under Johann van Graan since 2022, said the driving force within the squad remains as strong as ever.

“The hunger has been there for as long as I can remember,” he said. “This isn’t the end – there is no end to it. The hunger is huge, and it is driven mostly by the players who aren’t playing.

“They are the ones that push us in the week, they are the ones that drive the standards in training. They paint the pictures that we want to paint on the weekend.”

From a side that finished bottom of the Premiership just three seasons ago, 60 points off the pace, Bath have been rebuilt with a steely edge and an unmistakable team identity. Spencer’s leadership has been central to that shift, and his response to lifting the Challenge Cup on Friday night was typically grounded.

“The (Challenge Cup final) performance was something that has been building for a very long time, and to see the hunger, see the fight of this group was unbelievable,” said Spencer.

“These moments don’t come around very often, and you have to enjoy them and embrace them. We’ve worked hard for this trophy.

“This group is unbelievably hungry to get better, and I have no doubt on Tuesday we will be back to zero, which is something we speak about all the time.”