Bryan Habana is one of those names that has become synonymous with the Springboks. Throughout his career, the 2007 Rugby World Cup winner was revered across the globe for his blistering speed, with Habana heralded as one of, if not the fastest winger of an entire generation.

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Habana would accrue 124 Test caps for the Springboks from 2004 to 2016, and rack up an impressive tally of 67 tries in green and gold. After winning the 2007 RWC, Habana would put his speed to the test in a race against a cheetah, with the viral video produced to highlight the need for greater conservation efforts, in order to save the endangered African predator.

The Springbok sensation began his professional rugby career in 2003, as he signed his first contract with the Golden Lions. Two years later, Habana moved to the Bulls, and it was in Pretoria where he first came across the now Bath head coach Johann van Graan. The South African coach held a Technical Advisor role with the Bulls upon Habana’s arrival, and van Graan revealed in a recent Bath Rugby press conference, what his first impressions were of the soon-to-be South African icon.

The Bath head coach is considered to be have one of the best rugby minds within the modern game, and wan Graan shared how even a young Habana had much to learn and improve upon, in order to achieve his superstar status. The 45-year-old shared how he is applying similar teachings to his current crop of blue, black and white world-beaters, with the likes of Tom de Glanville constantly evolving his game.

“I’d say every coach is different, and sees rugby in a different way. I can tell you what we’re trying to do at Bath, is bring out the best in people. I pick players for what they can do, because ultimately, we as human beings feel good about the things that we can do.

“I’ll give you an example. I remember 2005 when Bryan Habana came to the Bulls. He was fast, and he had to work on a lot of things in his game. Through hard work, through a lot of coaching, determination, etc, he became one of the world’s best players, he played a hundred Test matches. So I think, [you must] identify the right players, and then they get better.

“I’ll give a great example of players at our club. There’s been a big amount of players that potentially in year one [of JvG’s Bath tenure – 2022] needed some skills to work on. They all became champions, and not because they won a trophy, but because they worked on that skill for every single day over the last few years. We’ve become a well rounded team.

“So, see the best in people. Make sure you recruit and retain the right players, and then just make them better. I can you give an example of Tom de Glanville, he is flourishing, whether it’s the high ball, whether its finishing, whether its support play, whether its defence. Ultimately, that’s the big message at Bath. ‘Come here to get better. Enjoy your rugby and absolutely love what you’re doing’. I think you can see that in our playing group.”

A cross-generational foot-race that would have enticed every rugby fan, would have been a flat sprint between a prime Bryan Habana and England’s resident speed merchant Henry Arundell. The 22-year-old wing arrived in Bath ahead of the current PREM Rugby season, following a year-long stint at the appropriately named Racing 92.

Arundell is no stranger to the PREM, as the wing first broke onto the scene at London Irish, with his devastating pace earning him a spot in Steve Borthwick’s squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The wing would set an England record at the tournament out in France, as his five-try performance in the 71-0 pool stage win over Chile, set a new individual scoring record for an England player in a World Cup match.

Bath’s van Graan and fullback Tom de Glanville revealed their own first impressions of when Arundell arrived in Somerset, with the head coach and outside back blown away by the blistering display of speed.

“He definitely did shock us on day one.” De Glanville said. “I would go to the point where the rest of the backs would pre-empt his speed, and hope that he will be somewhere where he can then chuck it back to us, like on the weekend [against Gloucester]. So, day one, there was a bit of a shock!”

“I think, firstly, he certainly is fast, isn’t he?” Johann van Graan added. “You look at that kick chase [against Gloucester], where he gave the ball inside to Tom [de Glanville], some of the players that he ran past are pretty past themselves. So he certainly is fast.”

Whilst Arundell embodies the undeniable element of out-right pace, van Graan explained how Bath are blessed with an assortment of different winger profiles down at the Rec. Arundell is undoubtedly a lethal threat when he hits top stride, however, van Graan shed further light upon the different weapons in his arsenal of touch-line talents.

“I think from a coach’s point of view, if I look at our squad, it’s important to have a point of difference. I’m not looking to retain or recruit the same type of player. You’ve got Joe [Cokanasiga], one of the biggest and strongest wingers in the world. You’ve got ‘Horse’ [Will Muir] that’s certainly one of the best air contesters in world, he’s rapid, I generally mean that. Look at his performance in the Premiership Final, and what he did for England in the summer.

“Then you get someone like Henry [Arundell] that’s incredibly fast. Tom de Glanville, players like these that can play multiple positions, with a kicking game too. Then, someone like Max [Ojomoh] that in the Prem Cup Final last season had to go to wing. That’s a centre, that’s again coming in as a second receiver. One of my key jobs, is to make sure that we’ve got different points of difference across the squad, with adding Henry [Arundell], I think we’ve done that.”

Van Graan and the Bath players are set for an on-field reunion with another former flyer of blue, black and white this weekend. Bath head up to Welford Road for a fourth round PREM Rugby clash with Leicester Tigers, with ex-Bath man Orlando Bailey waiting for a run-out against his old club. Bailey made 100 appearances for the Somerset side, before signing with the Tigers ahead of the current PREM season.

Apart of the Bath team which won the 2024/25 PREM Cup, Challenge Cup and PREM Rugby treble, Bailey remains a popular figure around the blue, black and white camp, despite switching his allegiances to the green, white and red of the East Midlanders. Speaking ahead of the upcoming reunion, van Graan said;

“That’s the beauty of rugby, it’s the respect factor. Now, he’s a former player, and he lives with our best wishes, he’s still a very popular member of the squad, even though he’s at Leicester. He’s both become a good friend and one incredible human being.

“On the field. You know, nothing will be asked or given, but it’ll be great to see Landy. I can’t speak highly enough of him, and we’ll always see him as one of the people that have been part of this journey for the last three years. Looking forward to seeing him.”

“One of the World’s Best” – Bryan Habana’s former coach reveals first impressions of Springboks legend

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