West Country born Craig is a lifelong Bath fan. Photo: Getty Images/Bob Bradford
It would be logical to assume that for Bruce Craig, Bath's millionaire owner for the past 14 years, beating Northampton in the Premier League final on Saturday would have been decisive. This is a man who is competitive to the core, who has sunk an unknown amount of millions into the south-west club without yet having any trophy to speak of. Impressive signings, sell-out crowds and a city intoxicated with rugby all came to fruition, but in the cold light of day Bath's season ultimately proved to be a period of misses, gallant defeats and what might have been.
But Craig is unfazed. In a rare interview with Telegraph Sport, the Bath owner insists his side's “heroic” performance was just the start for the club in what has been his favourite season so far. After a seven-year wait, he has the humble manager he always wanted and a superb midfield at a stately, modern training ground. He has the “best medical and strength and conditioning team in the league” that has a full complement of players ready and available at the end of the season, and work is about to begin on the 18,000-seater stadium he has dreamed of for years.
So, while victory on Saturday would naturally be the reward for a season of bribery at Farley House, the world will continue to turn and next season will arrive with alarming speed. For the Bath owner, a childhood fan, the cost of taking a team from the bottom of the table to the top has paid off.
Craig is a regular spotted at games with fellow Bath fan James Dyson, whose company is the club's current sponsor. Photo: Getty Images/Dan Mullan
“I love the club and I love the people,” Craig says. “I love the fans. Everyone who came when we were bottom of the table meant a lot to me. In the rain and wind we played and sold out Rec. I don't give up because I see it.
“Even though there were some really tough times and decisions that didn't go our way—and maybe some bad ones—they all persevered. I persisted. I do not give up. That is life. You fall, you rise – when you fall, all you have to do is wake up the next day and figure out how to improve.
“I don’t know how much I invested. I don't think so. It's not about the money. People can calculate how much I invested if they want – look at the balance sheet. There's an equity loan there of £25 million or so – that's one piece of money. Even if not a single brick of the stadium was laid, it would generate £7 million. This is reasonable money.
“I think after Saturday's performance we won the hearts and minds of a lot of people. Win or lose, people will see that this is an exceptional team. Our guys acted heroically. They played with all their hearts. It was amazing. From where we were 18 months ago – bottom of the league – and the results achieved have been nothing short of outstanding.”
“I will give my opinion”
Craig owns 100 per cent of Bath Rugby and therefore has every right do whatever he pleases. With his money being spent, it's natural to wonder how much influence he has over the club's selection of players.
Before he launches into an impassioned defense, he smiles wryly: “We have Rob Burgess [head of recruitment] who has done an exceptional job. I used to make decisions. The Marquee players come to Bath Rugby and I cry, then I wanted to make those decisions. I wouldn't buy it without talking to the trainer, but I would say, “Taulupe Faletau?” I wanted him and it was discussed. The money aspect is really important.
“Can I intervene now? I'll give my opinion. Jacques du Plessis [recently promoted to second row] is someone I've always found very fearsome on the rugby field and when I've seen him play against Bath – or watched the top 14 – he's like a man mountain. Johann [van Graan, head of rugby] wanted R.G. Sneyman. There are players that Johann identified and I wouldn't mind that. Thomas du Toit was signed by Johann and has nothing to do with me.
“This is where the respect between myself and the head of rugby comes in. This relationship is really good. I am not going to impose anyone on him, but I will express my point of view. I played rugby for 20 years – it makes a big difference. In France, players like Mourad Boudjelal [former owner of Toulon] and Thomas Savaré [former owner of Stade Français] have never played rugby.
Thomas du Toit has been named as a target for the first time by head coach Johann van Graan. Photo: Getty Images/David Rogers
“They are money people! I'm not a money person – okay, I have some money – but I'm not a money person. My passion is rugby. I played rugby from the age of seven until I was thirty. I watch the game as an ardent fan. So, okay, Bath Rugby is my team and the team that belongs to the city, but I just want the best for the team. I have competency in rugby. If the head coach turned around and said, “You don't know what you're talking about.” Okay, but they won't because I can talk about the subtleties, the strategy and what's happening on the field. I really played. I've been a team captain for many years.
“I'm also not going to suddenly change character. I'm putting my money on the table to create something great and bring something to the city, the players, the staff and everyone involved. This is a journey!
“I won’t own Bath Rugby forever because hopefully it will be around for another 50, 100, 150,000 years in the future! It's a little cliché, but the reality is that I'm the only one in line. It's important to leave it in a much better place than I found it in. We can build a stadium, we have amazing training facilities – we have a structure that makes sense.
“The goal is to be at the top for the next 10 years and beyond. Success means being in the top table and being considered one of the best teams in Europe. This is ambition – and why not? Premier League champions, Champions Cup winners and, who knows, Club World Cup champions. These aspirations and dreams… you don't want to take them away.”
'English rugby is in good shape'
Bath are a team whose two standouts – Van Graan and scrum-half Finn Russell – could not be more diametrically opposed in character. Russell the showman; Van Graan, Brigadier. But there is chemistry – and with Craig too. Indeed, Bath's owner hailed the duo as the key to his club's 2017 hopes and couldn't come closer to realizing them.
“Decision making is difficult,” Craig says. “As you get older, you are never completely sure. I took Sir Ian McGeechan, Mike Ford; players like Faletau. They're all done for the right reasons, but for some reason – injury, not quite the right fit, etc. – they don't stick together. This time Johann van Graan is absolutely the right man for Bath Rugby and for me in terms of our relationship. This is respect; really good relationship. He respects me and I respect him. This is top class – and I'm not sure it's always like that. Many trainers pay lip service to the owner, while Johann is a very trustworthy and respectful person.
Johann van Graan observed an outstanding success at Bath last season. Photo: Getty Images/Bob Bradford
“In 2017, the two people I tried to bring into the club were Johann and Finn. Not many people know this, but I contacted Johann after seeing what he did in South Africa, seeing the man he was after meeting him three or four times. I thought he was absolutely suitable for Bath Rugby. We agreed terms with his agent, his wife wanted to come to Bath – everything was booked for 2017 when Mike Ford had just left. But the South African Rugby Union said they did not want him to leave because Johann had another year on his contract. But we really needed someone – it couldn’t wait – and in life you just see sliding doors. In 2017, Johann could become our coach. But he said: “One day I will come to Bath.” We always kept in touch, we had a good relationship, we corresponded regularly.
“I also watched the Bristol v Bath match at Ashton. Gate and I met with Finn's agent. He was leaving Glasgow and it was between Racing 92 and us. At that moment, the following happened: Finn wanted to spend several years in Paris.”
The intervening seven years have not been the smoothest for English rugby, but Craig believes the storm has largely been overcome. There are still challenges – “At Bath we need financial stability, sustainability, to get the club to a break-even point where I don't lose £4m a year” – but Craig is encouraged by the emergence of young talent and all that. must be done to keep them on these shores.
Bruce Craig had been targeting Finn Russell since 2017 before finally signing him last year. Photo: Shutterstock/Matt Impey
“Despite all the negativity of the last few years, it's time to move on,” Craig says. “Let's not talk about the bankruptcy of three clubs or the departure of players to France; let's talk about the amazing academies and the young people that come through them. Cunningham-Souths, Pearsons and Fahey-Waboso are a host of young English talent. We have the most players in the world and we need to be at the top of the game. We must announce this.
“Every one of our 10 Premier League teams is much stronger. It's unfortunate what's happened, but is 10 teams good for English rugby? We had two semi-finalists in the Champions Cup and we could have had two finalists. It wasn't that far off. The state of English rugby… we're in a good place. We need to start being positive about rugby and start talking about it properly as a great game with values, spectacle and entertainment.
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English Club Rugby is in a moment of transition and I am very positive, optimistic and excited about the future. There have been some players who have left France who either did not believe in their ability to play for England or did so for lifestyle reasons… It is very important to keep the best players in England. This must remain an absolute rule. If there was an exodus of players, it wouldn't be a good thing.
“Our goal should be for these guys to come back to England and play in the Premier League. Our goal over the next five years is to make English club rugby the best in the world. That's our ambition – we may not be that far off – but our vision is for people around the world to see it with the best entertainment, amazing rugby and the best players in the world.”
Bath is making its contribution in this regard. Next stop? Trophies.
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