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Bath announce three signings and name their new attack coach
By Liam Heagney
The huge overhaul at Bath ahead of the summer arrival of Johann van Graan as the Gallagher Premiership club's new head coach from Munster took another step forward on Tuesday with the appointment of Joe Maddock as their new attack coach for the 2022/23 season. There was also the confirmation of new signings in Worcester hooker Niall Annett, Munster full-back Matt Gallagher - the son of ex-All Blacks full-back John - and Jersey back-rower Wesley White - the son of ex-Springboks boss Jake.
New Zealander Maddock played for Bath between 2004 and 2010, making 130 appearances on the wing, and he has since earned his coaching stripes in the Canterbury/Crusaders environment before moving onto Toshiba Brave Lupus in Japan.
“Bath has always been special to me and my family,” said Maddock. “I love the club and I love the city. I’m looking forward to working with such a talented group of players and contributing to an exciting new era.”
Bath confirmed last month the departure with immediate effect of attack and backs coach David Williams by mutual consent just nine months after his much-heralded appointment as the replacement for Girvan Dempsey.
CEO Tarquin McDonald said: “We are grateful to Toshiba for allowing Joe to return to Bath. Working under new head coach Johann van Graan, he will add an extra dimension to a gifted and experienced coaching unit.”
As for the trio of new Bath players, 30-year-old hooker Annett has already been in the Premiership for some time at Worcester following his arrival there from Ulster. However, the family background of the other two Bath recruits will attract the most interest. John Gallagher was a Londoner who found fame and fortune in New Zealand in the mid-1980s, going on to win the 1987 World Cup with the All Blacks, and now his 25-year-old son Matt is joining from Munster after making his initial breakthrough in the pro ranks at Saracens.
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old forward White, who has been making his way at Championship level with Jersey in recent times, is the son of Jake, who guided the Springboks to their 2007 World Cup triumph and is now boss at the URC Bulls.
McDonald added: “Our recruitment process continues, with further signings to follow. We have been seeking players with talent and character, people who will share our resolve to drive the club back to the top of the league. We will be delighted to welcome Niall, Matt and Wesley to the club later this year.”
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Latest Comments
Nah, that just needs some more variation. Chip kicks, grubber stabs, all those. Will Jordan showed a pretty good reason why the rush was bad for his link up with BB.
If you have an overlap on a rush defense, they naturally cover out and out and leave a huge gap near the ruck.
It also helps if both teams play the same rules. ARs set the offside line 1m past where the last mans feet were😅
Go to commentsYeah nar, should work for sure. I was just asking why would you do it that way?
It could be achieved by outsourcing all your IP and players to New Zealand, Japan, and America, with a big Super competition between those countries raking it in with all of Australia's best talent to help them at a club level. When there is enough of a following and players coming through internally, and from other international countries (starting out like Australia/without a pro scene), for these high profile clubs to compete without a heavy australian base, then RA could use all the money they'd saved over the decades to turn things around at home and fund 4 super sides of their own that would be good enough to compete.
That sounds like a great model to reset the game in Aus. Take a couple of decades to invest in youth and community networks before trying to become professional again. I just suggest most aussies would be a bit more optimistic they can make it work without the two decades without any pro club rugby bit.
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