Bournville’s coaching team of Director of Rugby Paul Sumner, Head Coach Matt Price and Defence Coach Alex Grove have committed to the club for another season.
The trio formed a new coaching team last summer and have impressed in their first season together, securing National Leagues rugby for a fourth consecutive season with four rounds of matches to play and having collected 20 bonus points – seven of them losing bonuses – from the first 20 matches.
“We are delighted that Paul, Matt and Alex have committed to the club,” said Bournville Managing Director Phil Maynard.
“This season they have been a new coaching group working with a new group of players so this is very much the start of a long-term project for them and the club.
“The players have responded well to the coaches, both collectively and individually, and the development of the squad from pre-season to securing our league status against Camborne on Saturday has been very pleasing to see.
“The coaches have already been active looking to strengthen the squad for next season and with the additions that they hope to make we look forward to building on the solid foundations laid this season.”
Sumner, a Bournville stalwart, former Northampton, Bedford and Coventry hooker Price and ex-Worcester Warriors and Scotland centre Grove all have different rugby backgrounds and experiences but they have quickly gelled into a tight coaching unit.
“The big thing this year is that we as a group wanted to change the mentality of the club and the side and we are slowly doing that” Price said.
“Alex’s attention to detail and skills as a coach – not forgetting his playing ability – is really beneficial to us and what Paul does in terms of player management is spot-on.
“We have got the balance really right. It’s a good bunch and we enjoy it and it was a pretty quick conversation between all three of us.
“Our recruitment is near enough done. To be virtually done and dusted with our recruitment with four matches remaining is unheard of.
“But I think the word has got around about the environment here, what we put on, how we train and how want to play.
“So, people are coming to us rather than us going out to them which is pleasing.”
