Rugby Lions have swooped to secure Wasps star Juan de Jongh to head its new coaching team.
Th 19-cap Springbok will lead the backs and defence at the Midlands One East outfit, while also continuing to play for Wasps
He will work alongside fellow South African and Coventry legend Cliffie Hodgson, who reached 1,000 league points for the Blue and Whites in just 95 appearances.
Interesting appointments at @TheRugbyLions as @WaspsRugby centre @JuanDeJongh partners up with former @CoventryRugby and @MoseleyRugbyFC back @Cliff_Hodgy as a coaching team – good luck fellas!https://t.co/XdyleIpj92
— Bobby Bridge (@bobby_bridge) July 16, 2020
“It’s such an awesome club with a rich history,” revealed the Springbok to the Coventry Telegraph.
“The club is coming up to 150 years, the history around William Webb Ellis, we’re where rugby actually started, and the Lions are one of the only clubs that plays in white, in England.
“It’s crucial for me to know the background, know the people, work with the players and understand what makes them tick, build good relationships, as a coach and as a friend off the field as well.
EDITORS PICKS:
- Sir Ian McGeechan picks his all-time dream team
- 5 awesome pubs owned by rugby players
- How the BBC rated England’s players in 2003 final
- RANKED | The 5 Dirtiest Rugby Players in History
- England Players Who Started With a Bang But Faded Fast
“Hopefully that can escalate into a good environment that me and Cliffie and all the management staff want to create at the club.
“So people are happy, come to training, and enjoy every second when we are in that environment. To provide a bit of a release from work and family life.”
5 Teams You Might Not Know Played In The Premiership
This article looks at five teams who you might not know once played in the top flight of English rugby.
1. WATERLOO
Once a powerhouse of the English rugby union game, the men’s 1st XV now play in North 1 West at the sixth level of English rugby union system, following their relegation from National League 3 North at the end of the 2016-17 season.
They competed in the top division of English rugby for the first two seasons after the league structure was introduced but were relegated in 1989.