When
I met up with Mike Ford & Stuart Hooper...
I
had the pleasure of interviewing Mike Ford at the Aviva Premiership
Launch for the 2014/15 season, last August. What we spoke about then
really does still stand! It was unfortunate for Bath to miss out on
a top four spot last season but Mike's enthusiasm and passion for his
team to do one better this season was evident.
Did
you think Bath would make the Aviva Premiership Final? I did.
Bath
could have been categorised as being more forceful in attack than
defence last season but it's a different story this year. I asked
Mike;
If
you were to change anything about this 2014/15 season, what would it
be?
"It
is a World Cup year but as coaches, for us, that doesn't change
anything. We've made a conscious decision to focus on our
attack...we want to score so many points per game and we feel if we
can get to that critical number every game, we'll win...and we'll get
close to the top four...we've concentrated alot on attack."
"Having
said that - Neal Hatley's going to do our defence this year and
hopefully take it to the next level. We think we can get better at
that as well as keeping the focus on attack."
When
I listen to this back - I laugh - because this group of coaches and
players have thrown everything into this season and it's paid
off...big time!
It's
been clear this season how accomplished this young side are. Fleet of
foot Jonathan Joseph, nerves of steel George Ford, the mighty Nick
Auterac...is there anyone in this side who isn't exciting to watch?
I've
really grown to love Bath and the style of rugby they play. As for
the club, they’re a hearty passionate group and its apparent how
much the game means to this community.
Bath
have reached the final of the Aviva Premiership this year, which they
haven't done since 2004 and they last won the Guinness Premiership in
1996.
Are
they due some silverware?
I
asked Mike if he'd set any personal targets and he said he couldn't
tell me, for obvious reasons!
But
he did elaborate...a little;
"I
started setting goals and targets when I was a player and stuff. I
soon realised, when you start writing things down and sharing them
with the people that you care about...the more things you achieve
that you write down. You're constantly reviewing your different
targets and what you want to achieve, it's more than a season - it's
over a period of time."
I
also had the pleasure of speaking to Bath's Captain Stuart Hooper and
I asked him;
How
has captaincy effected your personal development as an individual?
"Massively;
not just talking rugby now, it's changed the way I go about my life
really. Since I became captain at Leeds about nine years ago, I
started a Degree in Leadership and Management. It took me seven years
to do, just through my enjoyment of the leadership side of things, so
I did an open university degree and finished very recently."
"I've
got a real passion for it, I love seeing a group of people and
getting the best out of the people, getting the best out of the
individuals."
It's
fair to say, this is going to be an emotional day for many on
Saturday 30th May at Twickenham.
Is
this the stuff of dreams? No. This club had an ambition, a plan and
the wherewithal and skills to make it happen.
What
I do know is that from the Owner to the Head Coach to the Captain -
the message is clear - this team are united and together they will
succeed; it may be this year, it may not but this squad are going
places...…
Bring
it on Bath!