Johann van Graan admitted that his Bath Rugby side were not good enough and had only themselves to blame for their defeat by Montpellier Hérault Rugby at The Rec on Saturday 17th October.

The Blue, Black & White were beaten 32-14 in their Investec Champions Cup opener – and head of rugby van Graan pulled no punches at the club’s post-match press conference.

Van Graan said: “Not good enough. Unforced errors.

“I thought we started the game really well.

“We conceded a penalty one metre out in the first half, with a clear try-scoring opportunity.

“We scrambled really well tonight, just before half-time.

“We went in [for half-time] ahead 14-10. And then big moment on 14-10 where we lose the ball over the line.

“From thereon in we had more than enough scoring opportunities and, unfortunately, with a few minutes left we scored the try and we get called back for a neck roll.

“So it is unforced errors from our side, which is frustrating.”

Asked whether Bath provided a good response following their 71-48 defeat at Northampton Saints in Gallagher PREM Round 3 on Saturday 10th October, van Graan said: “Yes. First half, we created enough, we went in ahead. Second half, not good enough.

“We created enough opportunities.

“We lost three line-outs five metres away from their try line.

“If we didn’t create enough, that’s a different conversation. We created enough, we need to finish them.

“We played against a good team, and on 14-10 we had an opportunity to go two scores up, on 15-14 [down] we had multiple opportunities to get in front, and on 25-14 [behind] we scored a try and were called for an inaccuracy in the breakdown. So not good enough from our side.

“We’re all disappointed and there’s no excuses – we lost this game against ourselves.”

With Pool 4 matches to come against Cardiff Rugby (away), Pretoria’s Vodacom Bulls (away) and Stade Francais Paris (home), van Graan acknowledged that Bath will have to dig deep if they are to qualify for the competition’s knockout stages.

He said: “It’s very difficult now.

“Our next game is away against Cardiff, and then we’re going to South Africa and then finish off with Stade Francais at the back end of January.

“So never too high, never too low.

“Frustrating and we’ve got to make sure we sort it out ourselves.

“We want to win these games, and tonight we didn’t.

“Clearly in [the breakdown] we got beaten tonight, and we didn’t react quick enough or adapt quick enough on the field. We need to be better than that, specifically in that second half.”

Back as Bath skipper for the cup game, and making his first appearance of the season following a shoulder operation during the summer, was Ben Spencer. And the scrum-half echoed van Graan’s frustration over the defeat.

Spencer said at the press conference: “Firstly, nice to be nice to be back and nice to be back at home, but I just echo the frustration, really.

“I think we created our opportunities, we got into the [Montpellier] 22 a number of times either through building pressure or penalties.

“Unfortunately, whether it be the last pass, whether it be not knowing our roles, it was a little bit of a frustrating night.

“We were really happy with where we were at half-time and I think we came out of the blocks in the second half really well.

“Unfortunately, Joe [Cokanasiga] knocks it on in the corner, and if we’d scored there it could’ve been a different game.

“Loads of frustrations from this evening, whether it be breakdown or not taking our opportunities. And we need to be better.

“I think 99 times out of 100, Joe scores in the corner there, and unfortunately he didn’t and it wasn’t to be.”

Van Graan revealed at the press conference that Bath’s new signing Dan du Preez will be out injured for several weeks. The back row suffered a torn hamstring in the days leading up to the clash with Montpellier.