Johann van Graan: 'Last 24 hours have shown any team can beat any team'

Johann van Graan admitted “you have got to win ugly” in the Gallagher Premiership after his Bath team ground out a 19-15 victory over Exeter.

Bath moved back on top of the Premiership above west country rivals Bristol without remotely hitting top gear.

Flanker Guy Pepper, number eight Miles Reid and replacement hooker Niall Annett scored tries for Bath, with fly-half Finn Russell adding two conversions, although a vastly improved performance will be required in their next game against Investec Champions Cup opponents La Rochelle.

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“If I look at the big picture I am really chuffed with the win,” Bath head of rugby Van Graan said.

“We didn’t take one or two opportunities, but you have got to win ugly in this competition.

“Results in the last 24 hours have shown any team can beat any team, so we are very glad about the four points and we move on. We were certainly tough to beat.

“You have to give Exeter a lot of credit. They adapted their game, it was a really good aerial battle and a pretty physical game. Both teams put in some big shots, and it mattered to both sides. I am glad we got it done.”

Bath captain Ben Spencer told TNT Sports: “It was ugly. We had to go to some pretty dark places today.

“It was a real greasy one and probably one where you were better off without the ball. There was not too much to play off the back of, but it was pretty slippy out there.”

It was not a game that will live long in the memory, but Bath had enough to thwart Exeter and leave them stuck at the Premiership basement following seven successive league defeats.

Exeter often belied their league position as Jacques Vermuelen crossed for a try and Henry Slade kicked a penalty, remaining in the contest until Annett’s score 13 minutes from time finished them off, although number eight Greg Fisilau’s 80th-minute effort that Slade converted secured a losing bonus.

Chiefs boss Rob Baxter said: “We have definitely rekindled a bit more fight and movement in our game, and I can’t fault the players for that.

“I’ve just said to the lads that I can sit here and talk about the mistakes we made, but that is a little bit irrelevant at the moment.

“What we’ve got to do, which we did today, is stay in the fight for as long as possible and make things break our way. That didn’t quite happen today, but I am pretty confident it will in the future.

“Where we are in the season, we needed a competitive performance for all types of reasons.

“Our away performances are better than last year. What we have not done is collected those home wins, which is counting against us.”