Bath
The Bath Academy – Is there a Welsh Connection?
Carwyn, Sisilia and Kepu
By shipwrecked
July 3 2025
Johann Van Graan has shown a remarkable ability to spot players who fit into the Bath philosophy he himself has established. His recruitment of players like Ollie Lawrence, Ted Hill, Guy Pepper show that as does a host of exciting talent to join the club next season in the form of Henry Arundell, Santi Carreras and Dan Frost.
As the senior squad begins to grow with established premiership players, we have the added bonus of young academy players developing through competitions like the Premiership Rugby Cup. Players like Ciaran Donahue, Arthur Green and Archie Griffin are now capable of putting in full on performances that are expected of senior players in premiership games.
What is interesting is that we have also seen a growing number of players whose origins are in Welsh rugby over the past 18 months. The emergence of centre Louie Hennessey is one example of those Welsh players who should go on to represent his country with full honours.
Louie is not the only centre to have impressed in recent times. Bath’s Steffan Emanuel played 12 and clearly has an eye for the dramatic. With just 90 seconds remaining of the final of the Premiership u18 Championship against Northampton Saints they were turned over in their 22 and neat handling saw Stefan go over in the corner to win the match. Sadly, he has since left Bath and the 19-year-old is now carving out a path at Cardiff Rugby and Wales U20 side.
We have more Welsh talent in the form of Archie Griffin who has established himself as a tight head prop with almost the same number of appearances at international level as at club level. Now 23 he has been selected to tour Japan with the full Welsh team and will almost certainly have a long rugby career, injury permitting.
The success Bath have had in converting potential into the finished article seems to be remarkably high and I strongly suspect there is another 20-year-old candidate about to emerge.
A little background, JvG is now recognised as integrating the senior players and the academy by removing a dividing wall in the changing room.
One player who has benefitted from this inclusive environment is another Wales U20s prop (loosehead) in the shape of Ioan Emanuel. Brother of the previously mentioned Steffan Emanuel.
The 20-year-old is viewed as a top prospect by coaches who work within Welsh rugby's pathways and the view is shared by Bath.
First-team appearances have been hard to come by given the strength of the senior Bath squad, with Ioan Emanuel getting most of his rugby on loan at National One side Rams RFC, he also has 9 appearances for Wales u20s.
Most recently he played for Wales in the u20 tournament v Argentina whose pack contained a front row all of around 130kg, impressive locks all 6’7’ or 8” and a huge No 8 in Agustín Campos. At scrum time Ioan was up against Tomas Rapetti a 123 kg. tight head and impressive talent who very recently signed for Toulouse the current Top 14 champions.
Ioan was his match at scrum time and showed neat creative ball handling interaction with his fellow prop Scott as well as some crunching tackles. He has clearly upped his game in these areas and has now established himself at loosehead in the U20 Wales side.
So, what of recent academy intakes at Bath and do we have some sort of special Welsh connection? Many of Bath’s emerging stars have had to rely on lower league appearances at clubs like Dings Crusaders, Bedford Blues, Rams, Doncaster and Hartpury.
This coming season will be no exception. Bath’s run in the 24-25 Premiership Rugby Cup boosted the club’s season, but this year the format will not include championship clubs. This will further reduce fixtures for the academy as game time for these young players can also come from playing for lower league clubs against other Premiership clubs.
This year’s academy crop contains 2 Welshmen, Alex Ridgway (back tow) Jack Harrison (centre) with James Linegar, (fly half) Oscar Thomas (hooker) and Sam Winters (Full back) being English.
Last year’s crop included Ieuan Davies at 9 from Neath RFC but actually English qualified and Ioan Emanuel of Llantwit Fadre RFC as well as Jack Woods of Cross Keys RFC, who made his Prem debut v Saracens.
The academy continues to go from strength to strength with a significant Welsh connection. What is unclear though is how much game time will these guys get? Of course, rotation plays a part but it’s clearly not the solution.
This is the biggest barrier for young English player development and something the RFU have yet to address. Scotland experimented with leagues to aid development for 5 years with the Super Series but that has been discontinued. Currently Wales have the SRC Super Rugbi Cymru recently established which is proving to be a significant success as Wales rebuilds its player base.
The coming season’s Prem Cup will again be an opportunity for our academy to shine, we will be able to add another Welsh born talent in Kepu Tuipulotu to the list with Billy Sela having recovered from injury from our prodigious talented academy. We need to go long in this competition again but I doubt whether other Premiership clubs adhere to the competition philosophy of playing mainly academy players.
My initial impression was that Bath had a disproportionate number of Welsh talent and I have tried to see if there is a special connection but research seems to indicate that nearly all West Country clubs have a significant intake of young Welsh talent.
What is apparent is that historically the inability to fund Wales stars following Covid and their dispersal world-wide has led to a surge, (promoted by the WRU) in young players, who are now developing in the SRC in Wales but also in the Premiership clubs local to Wales.
Looking closer at our signings I think to fair to say that Bath actually have the pick of the bunch. There may not be a Welsh connection but Bath have been astute in spotting talent when highlighted by schools like Millfield. Perhaps the biggest thing working in our favour is the networking with the Tuipulotu dynasty based in Pontypool.
Senior figure Sione Mone Tuipulotu played a good chunk of his career in Wales with Pontypool, and also featured two Rugby World Cups for Tonga. His son Sione, currently with the Lions in Australia is a recent Scotland Captain. Sione’s younger brother Mosese Tuipulotu, is a centre at Edinburgh.
Daughter Sisilia Tuipulotu props for Wales women, and cousin Carwyn Tuipulotu was in the Wales Under-20s squad and is now impressing at Pau following a short loan at Saracens.
Also within this family tree is Wales and ex-Bath number 8 Taulupe Faletau, a cousin.
Other cousins are former England internationals Billy and Mako Vunipola and their younger cousin Manu, now in Japan after playing for England Under-20s and Saracens.
With that family tree it’s hard to see how Kepu Tuipulotu can fail to be a success.
So, is there a Welsh connection? You decide but surely Bath have the most exciting academy in the Premiership, my biggest concern is can we afford to keep them all?
Top image shows Carwyn, Sisilia and Kepu Tuipulotu at Hope Methodist Church in Pontnewydd, S. Wales
https://francesca-jones.co.uk/tuipulotu-the-rugby-journal/
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03/07/2025 23:43
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:08:07:11:45:04 by CoochieCoo.
Given the decline of Welsh rugby over the past, say 10 years, if you were a 16 - 20 year old one might well look outside of Wales to become a professional rugby player.
Gloucester, Bristol and Bath, being the nearest professional clubs would be attractive. Given the financing the order would be Bath, Bristol and Gloucester.
Once a route is developed then people follow. So for example Exeter had a stream of late 20's Australians who were still excellent but were not going to be picked for their country and these players bolstered their already strong squad.
Obviously Bath have an SA connection......even before JVG......and of course we are close to Wales and people can live at home and train and play for Bath.
I recall many years ago (say 25) my eldest son reading the back page of the Bath Chronicle which was a more regular newspaper then at breakfast. The lead article was that Jonathan Humphreys was going to join as hooker. He had of course played a lot for Cardiff and had been captain of Wales. My son opined that we did not need any more Welshies.....did we! Obviously I said nothing (!) but he was of course reprimanded by his mother!!
Within short order he was captain of Bath and I am sure was very helpful and inspirational to a youngster called Lee Mears.
Personally I would like Bath to be in a place where it is the Number 1 choice for all rugby players either at 16 for the Academy or 29 when seeking a last three years in a proper rugby city!!
The academy already was developing under Stuart Hooper's era who encouraged Ryan Davis and Mark Lilley to move it forward. Not forgetting Nathan Catt who moved on the England pathway coach 2 years ago. Luke Charteris remains academy line out coach.
Alongside this offering coaching and opportunities at Bath University is the often neglected in term of recognition Aaron James. It's this breadth that makes the academy setup so successful allowing the likes of Billy Sela, Kepu Tuipuloto and now Ioan Emanuel still 19/20 game time and experience.
it's also worth noting that we are not the only club nurturing talent from over the border.
Bristol - Kenzie Jenkins and Aidan Boshoff (wing) Evan Morris (Full Back), Osian Williams (8) Cai Gealy (scrum half), George Leyland (prop)
Gloucester - Jac Thomas, Deian Gwynne (back row) and Kieran Evans (fly half) Freddie Thomas (lock)
Exeter’s Welsh players - are further down the development line including Joe Hawkins, Dafydd Jenkins (lock), Dan John, (utility back) Christ Tshiunza, (lock, BR) Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (wing), Zack Wimbush (centre Eng/Welsh) and Kane James (back row).
Rugby needs academies to thrive, the loss of 3 Prem Sides and potentially Welsh regions has to be redressed UK rugby can't afford to lose close to 150 young talented rugby players.
Quote:
Ioan Emanuel having a very successful u20s tournament currently (playing 2.30 today v England) and Ieuan Davies (scrum half join up with Steffan Emmanuel at Cardiff. They get valuable game time at Cardiff where there are currently 5 suitors for ownership so the strongest region.
2024/25 adoptee: Guy Pepper
Quote:dr.bath1865
Not that I know much about this stuff- but seems like just yet another incredibly sensible move by JvG and his team to put this partnership in place. Gives us optionality on these players going forward whilst giving them the necessary game time they need to develop. Good news all round.
Yes, I agree with both of these players it was unclear apart from Prem Cup games, what I find heartening is the player that is NOT there being Louie Hennessy hopefully that means bigger involvement at Bath in all levels.
Thats basically the link. The respective coaches get on well and can work out things that are mutually beneficial.
But the chief reason these players find their way to Bath from our pathway in the first place is "Millfield".
Quote:cardiff_steve
Van Graan is apparently good mates with Cornel Van Zyl, who coaches Cardiff forwards. Lee Blackett is also friendly with Matt Sherratt.
Thats basically the link. The respective coaches get on well and can work out things that are mutually beneficial.
But the chief reason these players find their way to Bath from our pathway in the first place is "Millfield".
Matt Sherratt is an extremely good coach and I'm not surprised he is friendly with Lee Blackett, they have a similar approach. Millfield does come up a lot as a factor being part of the Bath rugby schools partnership programme along with Sherborne Marlborough College. Many thanks for that info/conformation.
Does Cardiff have a feeder system from smaller clubs like Llanishen, Whitchurch, Llantwit Fardre where some of our academy talent derives? Also picking your brain, how does Jack Woods get involved in Bath being from Cross Keys RFC?
Jack Woods was in the Dragons academy. Then Bath made a better offer. Similar story with Hennesey. Was contracted to Cardiff at 16, then made a better offer.
Players are always going to go where they think is best for their career and clubs are always going to look for highly rated talent.
2024/25 adoptee: Guy Pepper
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