Former Coventry centre becomes Cambridge Rugby Club defence coach

Heath Stevens will be making the case for the Cambridge defence next season.

The 28-year-old former London Welsh and Worcester centre has been brought in as defence coach by director of rugby Richie Williams.

It is part of a reshaped structure, which will be led by Williams and see Dan Richmond focus on the set piece and the forwards, and Louis Rawlings has been added to the group.

Stevens had announced his decision to retire from Championship side Coventry at the end of last season, and has decided to focus on a coaching career.

A past captain of the Midlands club, he has been helping coach the Coventry development XV, and has taken on roles within the Northampton Saints Elite Player Development Group and senior rugby at Bugbrooke RFC.

“Heath is someone I had a number of conversations with at the back end of last season,” said Williams.

“I was aware that he was coming to the end of his contract at Coventry and he had expressed an interest in getting into some coaching.

“The most attractive thing to us as a club was that Heath is very current in his approach. He stopped playing at the end of last season and is able to come at things from a slightly different angle to Dan and myself.

“The obvious thing that he brings is that real passion for defence, when he was playing it was an area of his game that he prided himself on.

“Through those early conversations it was clear that he has that passion to develop the defence at Cambridge, and try to compliment our attack by having a bit more of a defensive approach to things.

“I think Heath as a character will lend himself really well to what we’re trying to do as a club. He is very much about player development and trying to enhance our environment.”

Rawlings was forced to retire because of injury at the end of last season.

He has come onto the coaching set-up to help with the rehab of players, and is also helping the community team with some of the junior sessions to look at athletic development.

“From a wider club perspective, we’re already seeing the benefits of having Louis at the club,” said Williams.

“He has that really good relationship with the players and that current understanding of what it takes to be a National One rugby player.

“Louis is the embodiment of Cambridge Rugby CLub and I know he is really excited about getting his teeth into this new role as well.”