The Johann van Graan verdict on Bath's shock loss to Stuart Hogg's Montpellier

Bath boss Johann van Graan lamented a costly combination of inaccuracy and unforced errors after his side’s Investec Champions Cup campaign began with a shock 32-14 home defeat to Montpellier Hérault Rugby.

The Gallagher PREM side looked well placed after a strong first-half display at The Rec but it all went to hell in a handbasket in a second-half where Bath, at times, proved their own worst enemies.

It was the visitors, Montpellier, in fact, who struck first when Stuart Hogg finished in the corner and Adam Hastings converted for a 7-0 lead, but Bath responded in impressive fashion.

England centre Ollie Lawrence powered through two defenders to level the scores before Arthur Green spotted space from a penalty and burst over for a second Bath try. Finn Russell added both conversions as the hosts moved into a 14-7 advantage.

Hastings narrowed the gap with a penalty before a potential Montpellier score was ruled out for a forward pass following a TMO review, leaving Bath 14-10 ahead at the break.

Van Graan felt his team had created enough opportunities to win the match but were ultimately left to rue their inability to take them.

“Yeah, not good enough. I think we created enough. It’s more frustration because of unforced errors. I thought we started the game really well, went in ahead at half-time and then, you know, that second half we had multiple opportunities over the try line and couldn’t convert. So, that’s on us.”

Montpellier seized control after the break. Donovan Taofifenua crossed in the corner before Hastings added a penalty to make it 18-14. The game’s decisive moment followed when Russell’s attempted no-look pass was intercepted by Taofifenua, who raced away to score his second and stretch the visitors’ advantage.

Bath thought they had found a route back into the contest through Josh Bayliss, only for the try to be chalked off after the TMO spotted a neck roll from Ted Hill earlier in the move.

Van Graan pointed to several pivotal moments where Bath failed to capitalise.

“Yeah, look, on 14-10 we had a clear opportunity in the right-hand corner which we didn’t finish. On 15-14 we had two opportunities and, you know, there, what was it, 25-14, we scored the try and then got called back for a neck roll. So yeah, not accurate enough from our side.”

Montpellier added a late fourth try to seal an uncomfortable evening for last season’s EPCR Challenge Cup finalists.

“Yeah, look, we’ll go and review the game and, you know, clearly we didn’t adapt quickly enough to the referee and that’s on us as a group. When we hit this competition again in December, we need to make sure we’re better.”

With a trip to Gloucester looming next weekend, the Bath boss admitted there is little time to dwell on the defeat.

“It’s a quick turnaround to PREM action next weekend, so not a lot of time to solve these issues.”

And when asked what sits at the top of his post-match checklist, his answer was succinct.

“Unforced errors. Fix those, finish them.”