Stuart Hooper: Bath Rugby's former captain and director of rugby to leave after 15 years

Stuart Hooper has been overseeing Bath's academy and women's sides this season

Stuart Hooper will leave Bath this summer after 15 years as a player and coach at the Premiership club.

He played 192 times as a lock after joining the club in 2008 and spent five seasons as captain before a back injury ended his career in 2016 aged 34.

Having retired from playing he became a coach and succeeded Todd Blackadder as director of rugby in 2019.

After three years he became general manager as Johann van Graan took charge of the club's men's rugby operation.

Having captained Bath in the 2015 Premiership final Hooper led the Blue, Black and Whites to a top-four finish in his first season as director of rugby.

But indifferent form over his next two seasons - Bath ended seventh and then bottom of the Premiership - led to him stepping aside to oversee the club's academy, women's and sports science areas.

"I will always be immensely proud to have stood beside and led many incredible women and men during my time at the club," Hooper told the Bath website.

"Every player, member of staff and supporter has been a part of my journey, and I thank you all.

"Bath Rugby has taught me so much, and I leave this great club with a heart full of wonderful memories and a head full of experiences and determination for the future."

Bath chief executive Tarquin McDonald added: "Stuart is deeply rooted to this club, deeply connected to our city and his contribution over 15 years has been immense; 192 appearances as a player, five seasons as captain, Stuart earned the respect of every head coach that he worked with.

"He led us through the challenges of Covid, including a top four finish in 2019/20. More recently he has focused on shaping the club's future through his work on our senior squad recruitment, and through our Women and Girls project, building towards a professional Bath Rugby Women's team competing at The Rec.

"Stuart deserves huge respect for everything he has given the club. First and foremost, everything that he does puts squad and staff first, he is a genuine club man."