'Unrelenting effort and commitment': Bath farewell nine players who are leaving
Bath have farewelled the nine players – Ross Batty, Jamie Bhatti, Will Chudley, Christian Judge, Zach Mercer, Rhys Priestland, Elliott Stooke, Henry Thomas and Jack Walker – who are leaving them following the conclusion of their 2020/21 campaign.
A club statement read: “Each player has made an immense contribution to the club in their own unique way and everyone associated is extremely grateful for the energy and commitment they have given to the Bath jersey. They all have their own stories and memories to take forward with them from their journey at the Rec and the club wishes them well in their future endeavours.”
Director of rugby Stuart Hooper added: “I would like to thank each of our nine departing players for their unrelenting effort and commitment throughout their time at the club. They are all fantastic people who have been a pleasure to work with and I wish all of them the very best of luck for what lies ahead.”
ROSS BATTY
After a 16-year career, over a decade of which was spent at Bath, Batty has retired due to a neck injury. He will remain a Bath resident as he embarks on a new chapter with Stonewood Builders this summer. “I never got the chance to play at a higher level so I made a firm belief to give everything for Bath when I played,” he said. “I’m happy and grateful to have had the opportunity.”
JAMIE BHATTI
Arriving as injury cover in December 2020, Bhatti’s efforts to improve were rewarded and recognised by Scotland as he was recalled for the 2021 Six Nations, appearing twice in the tournament. The prop played ten times for and departs for Glasgow. “What a six months it has been,” he enthused. “Thank you to everyone that has been a part of it.”
Thank you to our 9? departing senior players ???
Each player has made an immense contribution to the club in their own unique way, and everyone associated with Bath Rugby is extremely grateful for the energy and commitment they have given to the ????? jersey.
— Bath Rugby (@BathRugby) June 23, 2021
CHRISTIAN JUDGE
A real character within the group, the prop also switches to Worcester after two years and 43 Bath appearances. Judge felt emotional in the week building up to his final game and more so after his final outing, admitting he made ‘friends for life’ at Bath. “I have loved playing with this group of players. They are genuinely special and I have made friends for life.”
WILL CHUDLEY
After 55 appearances over three seasons, Chudley is leaves for Worcester Warriors. “I’ve been very privileged to play for this historic club and the friends I have made during my time in Bath will last for a lifetime,” he said.
ZACH MERCER
Signing off as a Bath centurion, Mercer’s five years ended when he came on for his 100th appearance in the recent round 22 Gallagher Premiership match at the end of a campaign where the fans voted him their player of the season before his move to Montpellier. “I have spent a huge part of my career with Bath and I will be forever grateful for the opportunities this has brought me.”
RHYS PRIESTLAND
The fly-half leaves for Cardiff after six years at The Rec where he earned the Premiership record for most consecutive successful kicks at goal during his 122 appearances. “I have loved my time at Bath. I’ve enjoyed turning up to Farleigh House every day, working with the players, coaches and all the staff. The people are so friendly. I have made so many friends and great memories.”
ELLIOTT STOOKE
The second row earned 130 caps for the club in his five seasons and became a real favourite with the supporters. He insisted his move to Wasps was “one of the hardest decisions” he ever had to make. “The memories I have made on and off the field will live with me for the rest of my life and I have made lifelong friends during my time here.”
HENRY THOMAS
Playing for Bath was the prop’s childhood dream and he now leaves after seven season and more than 100 appearances. “I’m immensely proud to have played over 100 games for the club I supported as a kid.”
JACK WALKER
In five years at Bath since signing from Yorkshire Carnegie, the 25-year-old made 87 Bath appearances. “I have developed massively as a person and a player since arriving and I can’t thank the club enough.”
The 34-year-old has been reflecting on his career ahead of his summer return to Wales @RestartRugbyhttps://t.co/rT9ejycqrg
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 15, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
I don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
4 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
24 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
24 Go to comments