Table-topping Bath give players early Christmas bonus

Johann van Graan has imposed a two-day Christmas rugby ban on his table-topping Prem leaders.

The religious Bath head coach will be attending church with his family on Christmas morning and while he does not expect his squad to do the same, he will insist they forget about rugby – even with a huge game against third-placed Northampton to come on Saturday.

The demands of an English domestic season are long and arduous, particularly if a team is chasing silverware on multiple fronts like last season’s treble winners, and van Graan wants his men to take the opportunity to switch off.

“I think balance is pretty important,” said the South African. “Tuesday will be a training day and then Christmas Eve and Christmas Day everybody’s away from rugby.

“I think that’s exactly what Christmas time should be. It’s family time, so dedicated to family.

“With one training day, we know we’re coming up against a very good side next Saturday so we’ll give them the respect they deserve. But Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for me is 100 per cent family time.

“For us, the difficult bit, when you don’t live in your country, is that on Christmas Day you don’t have everybody that you love around you.

“But Bath’s community has been amazing and we’ve made so many friends at rugby, at kids’ school, at the cricket club and at church so we’re very lucky and very grateful to be surrounded by some amazing people.”

Van Graan’s Bath side made sure of the Christmas No 1 spot with a crushing 50-14 win at Newcastle on Sunday.

“It’s something that we are conscious of. It’s the third year in a row that we’ve done it. You don’t get an award for it but it shows that you have started the season well,” said van Graan.

“We were very conscious after doing the treble last year that every game that we go into teams would want to beat us.

“But in the Premiership, we have only lost one game by the last blow of the game against Leicester so what that shows me is our players are still wanting to get better.

“Our training has been fantastic and it just means that at Christmas we can have a good time with our families.

“Who knows where we’ll end up in May but I’m proud of this group.”

Star stand-off Finn Russell will be back for the Saints game having been rested for the trip to Kingston Park.