BATH RUGBY SUPPORTERS’ CLUB MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD IN THE RICOH SUITE, THE RECREATION GROUND ON 29 MAY 2019 AT 1930 Present: Committee: Kevin Lawrence (Chairman) Erica Veiver (Treasurer) Anne Kirkham (Membership Secretary) Christine Knight (Committee Member) Ian Rooney (Committee Member) Christine Webb (Committee Member) Mike Carr (Committee Member) Nicola Curtis (Committee Member) Pat Lawrence (Committee Member) Members: Sue Andrew Craig Fenton Caroline Mahoney Raymond Preston Jean Bailey Jim Guymer Michael Mahoney David Rawlings John Bailey Terri Guymer Colin Master Andrew Read David Byrne Alan Hayward Sally Masters Terry Wagstaff Maureen Byrne Clive Hoskin Kate McCullough Keith White Fred Clayton Clive Johnston Steve Moore Clare White John Crouch Honor King Peter Phillips Dawn Woodland Jocelyn Dunning Chris Knight Mike Phillips Doug Wrigglesworth Phil Dunning Peter Legge Theresa Powell Mike Elliott Sheila Legge Phil Powell (38) In attendance: TarQuin McDonald (Chief Executive, Bath Rugby) Welcome Kevin Lawrence (Chairman) welcomed the members present Speaker TarQuin began by thanking the AGM for the opportunity to speak to the BRSC members. He made special mention of the excellent working relationship with the BRSC Committee and thanked them for being so supportive to the Club. His focus would be based around 2 areas; Rugby and an update on the Stadium for Bath project. He firstly wanted to extend best wishes to, Tom Dunn, Elliott Stooke, 1 Beno Obano and Tom Ellis who had been selected for the England SQuad to face the Barbarians at Twickenham on 2 June 19. TarQuin commented that the Club was delighted to finish the season with a Qualifying place for next season’s European Champion’s Cup. Particularly pleasing was the player led fight backs to achieve bonus point wins in the final two games of the season but he acknowledged that they had not been wanting to be fighting for 6th place. He stated their ambition to be a dominant force in European Rugby and lifting trophies was undiminished. He explained that the intent was to grow the team from home grown players, interspersed with world class talent and for the players to have a passion in wearing the shirt. He commented that there had been a lot of talk about Saints and Gloucester this season but that the gulf between Saracens and Exeter and the rest of the Premiership was evident and that they had achieved such success by being greater than the sum of all their parts. He explained that in both business and rugby seismic change within erodes the essence that brings everything together. He explained that the Club had experienced this and that they were intent on constructing a system for us that delivers sustained success. The attributes reQuired have been identified and Stuart Hooper is the right choice for Bath Rugby. He was identified as a potential leader while still playing and when Tabai Matson left the decision was made to focus on developing his potential. In management theory terms a person’s attributes fall into 3 areas; It – the task, long term plans; I – how I show up, values I hold; We – how I interrelate with people, how people interact, behaviour when things go wrong. These attributes are Quite difficult to assess and are magnified in the high pressure world of sport, on camera and how you react to pressure and stress. In all of these areas, Stuart shows up incredibly well. The view of him has been tested with other notable people in the rugby world and with a leadership expert who considers Stuart one of the most exceptional leaders he has encountered. The players believe in him, he has huge integrity, is open to challenge and change and is an excellent strategic leader. People have asked if a Head Coach is needed in order to support Stuart, but TarQuin considered this to be slightly the wrong Question and preferred what attributes do we need in our systems? He acknowledged that there had been Questions about the oneness of our game and explained that they were not for or against a Head Coach; if we do decide to appoint one it will be the right person with the right attributes and either internal or external. TarQuin outlined how the Club are putting together the reQuisite systems and support based around Culture; Sports Science and Coaching. Katie Warriner is now on board and has assisted the Players to develop a set of values and has also addressed the fundamental aspect about how people ‘show up’ based around four key aspects; how we play; how we train; who we are and how we develop. This has now been cascaded across all the business areas of Bath Rugby. Three full days of coaches meetings have been held and a game model has been developed, using common language to talk about how we play and train. This model has been used really successfully by the Academy. Our recent recruitment has been aligned with this game model to develop a game comprising: 2 An uncompromising forward pack – big players who are capable of providing a platform for attack Attack – performed at tempo, with multiple layers and more aggressive line speed. He commented that Ruaridh McConnochie had been unbelievable this season. He explained that we needed to increase game understanding, why the players are doing what they’re doing and then better decision making on the pitch should ensue. We also needed to tap sources of tries as Bath were placed bottom of the Premiership statistics in terms of Lineout and Turnover successes. Exeter had scored 50 maul tries in the 198-19 season and these were specific tangible areas to win games. TarQuin confirmed that the Coaching team fro 191-20 would be: Girvan Dempsey as the Attack and Backs Coach assisted by Ryan Davis Neal Hatley (who had already had a significant input to the pre-season planning in advance of his departure with England to the World Cup) as Forwards and Defence Coach assisted by Mark Lilley who will coaching technical areas around the scrum and maul and Luke Charteris had been appointed as a specialist Lineout Coach following his retirement from playing. He had spent 3 days in South Africa when the Lions had played the Crusaders learning the techniQues reQuired especially in the area of a move called ‘the vault’. TarQuin outlined there was significant work and potential recruitment going into all aspects of the playing environment and how we make best use of the time the Players are at Farleigh, their training, sleep, nutrition, data, sports science and ‘return to play’ processes to see if more can done to derive advantage for the on field performance. This work is being led by Greg Roe (Performance Manager) who has a PHD in training load and match induced fatigue. Andy Rock has switched role to become Performance Director and a new Strength and Conditioning expert, with emphasis on Conditioning, has been recruited but can not yet be announced. Management of Players over the forthcoming season will be key with a disrupted season due to the World Cup and the Premiership Cup due to start on 21 September 19. All of this activity is to derive advantage to make up ground on Saracens and Exeter. He confirmed that Bath Rugby would continue to invest up the Salary Cap limit. TarQuin turned to the vision for the Stadium and confirmed it was to give Supporters their seat of choice at a reasonable price. He explained that they had had extensive negotiations with Historic England and that they had reached an agreement about the height of the proposed new Stadium but had commented to the architects they would like a more ‘playful’ design. He further explained that the Stadium for Bath team had conducted a number of briefings to the Liberal Democrats prior to the Local Council Elections and these had been supportive. Emphasis had been placed on the work and funding the new stadium would generate to cover the gap in funding to help deprived youngsters in Bath. He explained that there will be another formal second pre-planning application in June 19, resulting in a final exhibition in July and a formal planning application in the summer of 2019. Based on this, construction will be between 2020-2022. TarQuin confirmed that playing matches on the outfield was 3 always going to be challenging and they will be looking at alternatives to achieve this. He confirmed that there would be further meetings and briefings to the Supporters Steering Group and commented that some BRSC Committee members were part of this group. He confirmed his commitment to have open discussions on pricing for seats in the new stadium. Kevin thanked TarQuin for finding time in his busy schedule to speak to the AGM. 1. The 2019 AGM - Welcome and Opening Remarks (Chairman) Kevin Lawrence welcomed everyone officially to the meeting and thanked them for coming. He stressed that AGM is an important meeting as BRSC belongs to all its Members and it was important that as many members as possible attended the AGM. He explained to the AGM that unfortunately BRSC Secretary Tom Sutton is unwell and unable to attend and that he and Membership Secretary Anne Kirkham would cover the areas of AGM business normally falling to the Secretary. He asked the meeting to remember those members who had sadly passed away during the year since the last meeting; Dr Brian Parkins and Mr Anthony White who would be much missed. Kevin Lawrence asked the Meeting whether members present were aware of any other members who had passed away this year; none were identified.