Bath lock Ewan Richards has "taken his opportunities" to impress over the past two seasons, says head of rugby Johann van Graan.
Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan has praised lock Ewan Richards for his work ethic and progress in recent seasons.
Speaking before Saturday's Prem match at Leicester, Van Graan highlighted the 23-year-old's two-try contribution in the 38-17 victory against Gloucester on 11 October.
"Everyone was so happy for him - not just the people on the pitch, but those off of it, and this is a sign of a good team," he told BBC Radio Bristol.
Richards, who came through Bath's academy and made his senior debut in 2021, also captained the club during its successful 2024-25 Premiership Rugby Cup campaign.
"Ewan's worked so hard over the last two years and used his opportunities in the Premiership Cup, but he really took his opportunities against Leicester," added Van Graan.
"What really impresses me is that he is fast, but [on Saturday] he spent 80 minutes at lock, something which can sometimes make your legs heavy.
"I'm really happy for Ewan and how we finished the game, but my bigger message is that I am happy for the group.
"We're a group of people that are absolutely loving what we're doing, and we're doing it with a smile on our faces.
"Generally in life, when people are happy they improve at their faster rate than people that are unhappy, and this is a happy group."
Bath are the only club with a 100% winning record after three Prem matches this season and are top of the table, with Saturday's opponents Leicester seventh.
Category: General Sports
