Bath to 'stick to process' in European cup final

European Challenge Cup final: Bath v Lyon

Where: Principality Stadium, Cardiff When: Friday, 23 May Time: 20:00 BST

Coverage: Follow live updates on the BBC Sport website and app

Johann van Graan has urged his Bath players to "keep it simple" and "stick to the process" as they aim for European Challenge Cup glory when they face Lyon in the final on Friday.

The Premiership leaders are in their first European cup final since head of rugby Van Graan took over in 2022 and are aiming for a first European win in 12 years.

This will be Bath's fifth appearance in the Challenge Cup final, having won the title in 2008 and finished runners-up in 2003, 2007 and 2014.

"A special moment for the club, the first European final that we as a group have played in," Van Graan said.

"[I'm] excited, looking forward to it, got to enjoy the moment as that's what finals are about. It's once-off, we're playing against a good side, we respect them."

Bath come into the final off the back of a thumping 43-15 win over Leicester and Van Graan said his message to his players has been to straightforward.

"Keep it simple, stick to your process, keep doing the things that got you in the final," he said.

"Credit to the players, this week has all been about what did we learn about Leicester, what can we do better this week and how do we adapt the plan for what's coming on Friday night."

Bath, currently with a 15-point lead, have been the standard bearers in the Premiership and guaranteed finishing top with three games to go.

The European final keeps them on track for a historic treble, after winning the Premiership Rugby Cup in February.

Van Graan, who has transformed the club from a bottom-of-the-table outfit during his tenure, said the club are not going to stop trying to improve.

"What life teaches me is if you stand still somebody else is moving forward so we've got to keep moving forward," he said.

"We want to get better, we've improved in every single area so we're not about to stop now.

"We'll keep trying, keep finding a better way. One of our sayings is our process needs to lead to performance. If it doesn't lead to performance then let's find a better way to do it.

"You've got to back yourself that we'll become better together, you go through experiences as a group so this is another experience for us."

Bath started 2024-25 in the Champions Cup but dropped into the second tier European competition in April after winning just one of their four pool games.

They thrashed Pau in the last 16 and brushed aside neighbours Gloucester in the quarter-finals, before beating Edinburgh for a place in the final at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.

They face French Top 14 side Lyon who have stuttered in the league and currently sit 11th but who have beaten Sharks, Ospreys and Racing 92 in the three most recent knockout European games and won the Challenge Cup only three years ago.

Their squad includes fly-half playmaker Leo Berdeu, Fiji hooker Sam Matavesi and ex-Northampton and Bristol centre Semi Radradra.

Van Graan described Lyon as a "typical side" that gets to a final.

"Good maul – specifically their five-man maul – good scrum, they've got some fantastic broken-field runners," he said.

"[We] respect them for who they are but focus totally on ourselves.

"As a group, we needed to get to know them a bit more, but it's been 90% focussed on ourselves, and what do we need to do and how do we improve, and 10% on Lyon."

Bath and England flanker Sam Underhill - who was player of the match in the semi-final win against Edinburgh - said the team's place in the final is a "testament to the hard work" of everyone at the club.

"It's nice to get results, that's not the point of what we do - we work hard for each other and try to get better every day - but it's nice when results end in getting to play in big games, in big stadiums," he said.

"It's nice to see the people get rewarded for their efforts and hopefully we come away with something, but I know we'll enjoy it either way."