'I've not seen a wound like that': Johann van Graan gives Bath injury update

Bath Head of Rugby Johann van Graan has issued a positive injury update, with young fly-half/full-back prodigy Ciaran Donoghue among a clutch of players who’ve returned to training.

Donoghue, who recently signed a new deal, hasn’t played this season due to the serious knee injury that he picked up in a pre-season friendly against Munster.

Mindful that he has a bright future ahead of him and the club are well stocked at 10 and 15, Bath are taking a cautionary approach to the former Millfield pupil who enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2024/25.

Meanwhile, lock Ross Molony (bicep) and prop Billy Sela (ribs) are back in full training, while loose-head Francois van Wyk’s condition will continue to be assessed after he sustained a nasty cut to his leg in last weekend’s drubbing of Saracens.

Post-match, the injury was described as being very similar to the one that Kyle Styen suffered against France during the Six Nations. The Scotland winger recovered quickly to complete the championship, although he is now expected to be out of action for another month with a different injury (foot).

Meanwhile, van Graan said Ben Spencer was “fine” after the Bath captain jarred his left shoulder in the act of scoring against his former club.

“If you saw that wound open and the photo of it, I have not seen a wound like that on a leg. That was some laceration,” admitted van Graan when asked about van Wyk.

“Francois is a tough guy, he just cracked on, straight into hospital, and medically they looked after him so well.

“So we will just take our time, this is not a two or three day thing, but we believe it won’t be too long.

“Ben took that knock to the shoulder but he’ll be fine for whenever he’s next game is.

“Some great news,” van Graan continued, “Ciaron Donoghue was on the field for some light training for the first time in months.

“I want to reiterate there is no timeline for this, he is just back on the field, which was great to see.

“And then, obviously, the other one that’s been out for a number of weeks is Ross Molony, with that bicep. He has returned to the training field, and we’ll make a decision on when he can play again. But it is great to have Ross back.

“Billy Sela was back on the training field, after a bit of a hit to the ribs, very similar to Arthur Green, if you think back to the PREM Cup semi-final, he took a huge hit to the ribs. So he’s back on the training field. So we are actually in a good place with injuries, more and more players are coming back.”

Lions and England tight-head Will Stuart is curently on holiday as he continues to rehab after Achilles surgery.

“Next season,” said van Graan, when asked about his training return timeline.

“We hope he will be ready for the start of the season but with these things you just don’t know, so I’ll keep it at next season.

“He is doing very well. Obviously because he’s a prop, with that Achilles, he is on a different trajectory to what Ollie (Lawrence) was.”