Van Graan out of the running for Bath job

Johan Van Graan won't be released from his Springbok coaching contract. Yet.

South Africa’s Assistant rugby coach Johann van Graan will not be making the move to Premiership Club Bath as he will not be released by the South African Rugby Union.

According to reports Van Graan was initially being lined up as a replacement for scrum coach Neal Hatley at Bath.

However Bath owner Bruce Craig wanted to offer Van Graan the role of interim head coach after Mike Ford was sacked last week.

This idea now appears to be off the table as South Africa coach Allister Coetzee has apparently denied van Graan’s request to be released from his contract with the South African Rugby Union (SARU).

“Johann is a person of integrity,” Coetzee told Rapport.

“After an English club contacted him, he constantly kept myself and (SA Rugby CEO) Jurie Roux informed.

“I have great respect and appreciation for his contribution as a coach. That is the reason I gave him when I told him he is not going anywhere.”

Van Graan is understood to still be interested in joining Bath so club owner Craig could enter into negotiations for compensation if SARU release him.