{"id":34007,"date":"2026-03-16T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/?post_type=article&p=34007"},"modified":"2026-03-23T14:54:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T14:54:31","slug":"rec-revolution-does-transformational-leadership-theory-explain-bath-rugbys-resurgence","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/rec-revolution-does-transformational-leadership-theory-explain-bath-rugbys-resurgence\/","title":{"rendered":"Rec Revolution: Does Transformational Leadership Theory Explain Bath Rugby\u2019s Resurgence?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\n 16 Mar 2026 <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>Articles<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Rec Revolution: Does Transformational Leadership Theory Explain Bath Rugby\u2019s Resurgence?<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
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Head Coach Johann van Graan took the club from crisis to the podium in under three years. Here, we explore how closely he embodies Bernard M Bass\u2019 popular idea.<\/p>\n \n \n \n

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By John Portch<\/h6>\n
\u201cI knew it was a mountain,\u201d said Johann van Graan, \u201cbut I didn\u2019t know it was Everest.\u201d<\/h6>\n

The South African, then with Munster, had agreed to become the Head Coach at struggling Bath in December 2021.<\/p>\n

A few days later, he switched on the TV only to see Bath go 0-28 down after just 25 minutes of their Champions Cup tie with Leinster.<\/p>\n

It prompted the Everest comment, as Van Graan told an audience at the 2025 Leaders Sport Performance Summit in London.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy oldest boy was worried,\u201d he said onstage. \u201cHe almost broke into tears and he said \u2018no, we can\u2019t go to Bath\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Van Graan took the reins at Bath\u2019s Recreation Ground six months later on 11 July 2022 and, over the next three years, led one of the most remarkable transformations in English rugby history.<\/p>\n

By the end of the 2024-25 season, Bath had lifted three trophies: the European Challenge Cup, Premiership and Premiership Rugby Cup.<\/p>\n

Here, we explore their ascendancy under Van Graan through the lens of transformational leadership theory, which was made popular in the mid-1980s by American scholar Bernard M Bass, an expert in leadership and organisational behaviour.<\/p>\n

Transformational leadership theory has gained traction in the world of high performance in the subsequent four decades and, here, we take the four core dimensions of Bass\u2019 model of transformational leadership (\u2018the four I\u2019s\u2019) and ponder how they define Van Graan\u2019s work at Bath.<\/p>\n

The four I\u2019s of Bernard M Bass<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Idealised influence<\/strong><\/p>\n

The transformational leader is admired for \u2018walking the walk\u2019. They embody qualities their followers want in their team.<\/em><\/p>\n

In several respects, Van Graan is the embodiment of Bass\u2019 idealised influence. He strives to be a role model of authenticity, fairness and purpose. By the same token, he is not merely a charismatic leader and does not see himself as a hero, even if he told himself at the start of his coaching career in 2023 to \u201cback yourself because no one else will\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a quote by Pep Guardiola,\u201d said Van Graan. \u201c\u2018This beast called football will eat you alive if you\u2019re not always, always, always yourself\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Onstage, Van Graan repeatedly returns to the idea of authenticity; his views are sincerely held and he hints at the vulnerability expressed by the Manchester City Manager.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt took me many years to figure out who I am first and then to become comfortable with that,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n

This attitude has served Van Graan well in his nine years as a head coach working abroad, whether it was getting to grips with St Stephen\u2019s Day rugby in Munster (\u201cin South Africa on 26 December it\u2019s the summer and you go on holiday\u201d) or bracing himself to deal with Bath\u2019s dire situation (\u201cfirstly, I had to understand the club\u2019s issues\u201d).<\/p>\n

2. Inspirational motivation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Transformational leaders have the ability to inspire and motivate followers through fashioning and presenting a vision.<\/em><\/p>\n

On his first day at Bath, Van Graan pinned a picture of the Allianz Stadium on the dressing room wall and said, \u201cThere\u2019s no date attached to this, but we will get there\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in,\u201d said Bath hooker Tom Dunn in response, \u201cbut I\u2019m not sure how we\u2019re going to get there.\u201d<\/p>\n

It set the expectations suitably high and represented a compelling vision into which any rugby player could buy, not least a group with such raw potential.<\/p>\n

For his part, Van Graan knew that performances and, later, the trophies would come when his team was bound by \u201cconnection, clarity and commitment\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things we underestimate is what alignment truly looks like,\u201d he continued. \u201cI think we as coaches are sometimes scared of that word. We can never communicate enough. Do we really let people know what the standards look like? What the boundaries actually are? What are we actually going to attack?\u201d<\/p>\n

He also posed a question to the team\u2019s leadership. \u201cI asked \u2018what does the club stand for?\u2019 and nobody would give me an answer. I picked three words: \u2018tough to beat\u2019.\u201d They made sense for a team at a low ebb.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a rugby context, most of us coaches go after the sexy stuff, but I think you have to go after the important stuff first. That\u2019s defence, set pieces and managing your kicking game; ultimately, it\u2019s a game where you have to go backwards to go forwards.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fast-forward three years, following that successful 2024-25 season, Van Graan turned to Dunn and said \u201cwe did this together\u201d.<\/p>\n

3. Intellectual stimulation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Transformational leaders challenge followers to be innovative, creative and open to new ideas.<\/em><\/p>\n

Van Graan invited his players to challenge his thinking from day one.<\/p>\n

With one player in particular, he played a game of \u201820 questions\u2019. \u201cI didn\u2019t quite know how that was going to go,\u201d he said. It led to a critique of the style Van Graan employed at Munster.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis first question was \u2018why did you kick so much at Munster?\u2019 and I said \u2018because we had the best lineout in the world\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Additionally, Van Graan runs an open-door policy. \u201cYou can make an appointment or knock on my door, come in, close the door, and in that way you can tell me anything. I won\u2019t always agree with you but I will tell you exactly what I think.\u201d<\/p>\n

He will also listen. \u201cWe\u2019ve all got two ears and one mouth,\u201d he said, underlining the point.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very easy as a leader, specifically in a successful time, that you think it\u2019s you. It\u2019s not you. It\u2019s the sum of all the others around you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Van Graan told the audience he has six mentors, one of whom is Frans Ludeke, whose coaching staff he joined in the mid-2000s at the Pretoria-based Bulls. In 2017, Van Graan flew to Tokyo to meet Ludeke and show him the presentation with which he hoped to win over the management at Munster where he had just applied to be head coach.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrans just said \u2018you\u2019re not going to get this job\u2019. I asked why and he said \u2018because it\u2019s not you. You wrote on here what you think they want to hear. You\u2019re not being yourself\u2019.\u201d Van Graan took the next 24 hours to rework his presentation and was ultimately successful in his candidacy. \u201cI\u2019m not saying it\u2019s because of my presentation but Frans is someone who\u2019s spoken into my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

4.Individualised consideration<\/strong><\/p>\n

Transformational leaders demonstrate concern for the needs and feelings of followers and help them fulfil their potential. They establish strong relationships and act as a supportive resource.<\/em><\/p>\n

Van Graan, who recited a series of quotes during his time onstage, delivers a line from German philosopher Albert Schopenhauer: \u201ctalent hits a target no one else can hit; genius hits a target no one else can see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in no way saying I\u2019m a genius,\u201d said Van Graan. \u201cThe point I want to make is people want to dream, people want to belong, so you\u2019ve got to give people hope, whether it\u2019s players or staff, you\u2019ve got to be able to see something first and then bring people along with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He hoped to pursue that dream by co-creating a \u201cnew culture\u201d at Bath. \u201c\u2018Culture\u2019 is a word that gets used by so many people. For me, it\u2019s embracing everybody in the group, setting clear boundaries as to what you want and who you are. I guess what I\u2019m saying is that it doesn\u2019t matter where you\u2019re from, what language you speak, the colour of your skin: everybody\u2019s welcome at our club.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is particularly important when delivering bad news, such as telling a player their contract will not be renewed. In the past, he would make small talk. \u201cNow, I walk in, shake your hand and say: \u2018unfortunately, this will be your final season at the club\u2019. I\u2019ve become comfortable with the silence; and people respect that a lot more than not telling them.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of Bath\u2019s collective sense of trust, belonging and psychological safety, Van Graan encourages his players to take perspective. They led Northampton 21-18 with five minutes to go in the 2024 Premiership final and went on to lose 25-21. \u201cWe were six minutes from tasting greatness.\u201d They walked out of Twickenham with their heads held high and, 12 months later, defeated Leicester Tigers 23-21 to win the 2025 final.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe actually played a lot better in the final we lost than the final we won,\u201d said Van Graan. \u201cWe haven\u2019t reviewed the previous final at all. We spoke about how close we were but just moved on. The next journey had started.\u201d<\/p>\n

What to read next<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Four Building Blocks of a Great Performance Environment<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n