He holds complete responsibility for rugby matters concentrating on the coaching and performances of the team, overseeing all coaching and performance staff. Van Graan began his professional coaching at the Blue Bulls, and under Head Coach Heyneke Meyer, with focus on forwards and attack, he helped the South African franchise win three Super 14 titles. He moved on to become the Springboks Forwards Coach, winning the bronze medal at the 2015 Rugby World Cup before becoming Munster Head Coach in 2017.
Throughout his career, van Graan has developed a long line of players who have gone on to feature regularly on the international stage for Ireland, South Africa, England, Wales and Scotland. Van Graan’s leadership saw Bath reach the Premiership Rugby final in the 2023/24 season, narrowly missing out to Northampton Saints to be crowned runners-up after just two years at the helm of Bath Rugby. In 2024, it was announced that van Graan has committed a further five years to Bath Rugby, seeing him stay at The Rec until the summer of 2030.
