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April 15, 2010

Posted on 04/15/2010

Bath set to quit The Rec

Multi-millionaire owner Bruce Craig has grand plans for one of rugby's great clubs - Bath. Chris Hewett writes for The Independent.

"No one expected Bath, still one of the great names in world rugby despite falling a long way short of world-class standards over the last decade, to find themselves a new owner before building themselves a new stadium, but yesterday, the France-based multi-millionaire businessman Bruce Craig materialised as if out of nowhere to buy the club lock, stock and barrel, thereby bringing to a sudden end the 14-year stewardship of Andrew Brownsword, one of the original union entrepreneurs who changed the face of the club game in England.
"Unlike Brownsword, a self-confessed rugby novice who bought the club in 1996 because he felt it represented the best of the city he loved, Craig has a strong union background. Born in neighbouring Bristol, he was a good enough as a schoolboy player to be a final triallist at England Under-19s level and went on to perform at a high standard in Paris with Metro – now known as Racing-Metro 92, who are challenging hard for a place in next season's Heineken Cup.

"In his other life, he was making serious money on the distribution side of the international pharmaceuticals industry, and in January he and his fellow shareholders sold their business for the not inconsiderable sum of £975m. A tiny fraction of that figure would transform Bath's fortunes and re-establish them as one of Europe's biggest hitters, alongside Leicester and Toulouse, Leinster and Munster."

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