By Tom Little.
August 16 2012

Coventry Rugby continue their pre-season preparations with two home fixtures here at the Butts Park Arena this weekend with a Friday kick off 7.30pm see them meet Nuneaton RFC whilst on Saturday they host high flying Welsh Premiership side Cross Keys RFC at 3pm.

Coventry RFC v Nuneaton RFC Friday 17^th August kick off 7.30pm.

Butts Park Arena is the venue as Coventry meet one of their long established local rivals Nuneaton. Founded in 1879, it is fair to say that Nuns have been yo-yoing between leagues over the past 10 seasons. Last season under Head Coach Mike Umaga, saw them relegated into National 3 Midlands League. Mike Umaga has now left after 5 seasons to go to Stourbridge and Phil Llewellyn the current English Colleges coach as well as coach with Gloucestershire University and Somerset has been appointed, assisted by player coaches  Huw Thomas and Peter Cook.

Coventry supporters may recognise a former Coventry prop Jon Pateman  now playing for Nuns, whilst Coventry have on trial winger Jamie Barnard, who was in the Nuneaton side last season. Lee Chapman fly half also joined Coventry pre-season from Nuneaton but is currently out injured.

Coventry RFC v Cross Keys Saturday 18^th August kick off 3pm.

Once again Butts Park Arena is the home venue on Saturday as Coventry meet Welsh Premiership side Cross Keys. Despite the upheavals in Welsh rugby  Cross Keys RFC, who achieved first class status in 1909, have bucked the trend for this unfashionable  Monmouthshire side last season not only winning the Swalec Cup Final 32-19 against Pontypridd, but finishing a very creditable 6^th in the Welsh Premiership league. In addition they reached the final of the British and Irish Cup losing out to a strong Munster side 12-31. Understandably Head Coach Greg Woods was also awarded ‘The Welsh Premiership Coach of the Year Award.’

Cross Keys have just returned from a successful pre-season tour of Germany.

Coventry supporters will recognise a couple of former players as brothers Ollie and Danny Hodge have joined each other at Cross Keys.

This excellent Welsh Premiership side will provide a strong and stern test for the Coventry team, a game which is expected to be a pointer for the forthcoming league season.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office 16^th August 2012

Coventry Rugby match previews 17th/18th August

Discussion started by Unofficial Coventry Rugby (IP Logged), 16/08/2012 17:17

Unofficial Coventry Rugby
16/08/2012 17:17

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Peter Redhead
16/08/2012 18:08

Looking forward to both games, bring on the season.

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