Blackheath Rugby
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Steve Pope gets international call-up
Blackheath's Director of Club Rugby appointed Forwards Coach for England Counties.
As the senior national squad prepares for the start of the 2012 Six Nations campaign, another group of England qualified players is being assembled to represent their country.
The England Counties XV is the pinnacle of the game for any rugby player outside of the fully professional arena and, for this season, Blackheath’s Steve Pope has been appointed their Forwards Coach.
The Director of Club Rugby has been working alongside Head Coach Jan Bonny from Rosslyn Park in preparing a squad of players from clubs below the Premiership and Championship for a match against an Irish Clubs’ XV on 16th March (to be played at Preston Grasshoppers RFC) and a summer tour to Kenya and Uganda.
‘I was invited to interview for the post and very pleased to be offered the
chance,’ said Steve, who will combine his new post with his current role of developing players from around the south east clubs and schools through the transition from junior to senior level, alongside coaching the senior squad at Blackheath.
‘It’s an exciting opportunity for me to expand my coaching career as well as working with a talented group of players. Jan and I have been watching a lot of matches and meeting on a weekly basis for some time.’
‘The team to play the Irish side will be picked solely from National Leagues One, Two and Three, but the selection pool for the Africa tour will be expanded to those involved in the County Championship in May.’
A former prop-forward, Steve is no stranger to the England Counties set-up. Having started at Blackheath, he went on to play for the representative side (then referred to as National Divisions XV) against Australia and South Africa while at London Welsh in 2000/01.
‘Those two matches gave me the opportunity to play professionally at Swansea before I returned to Blackheath in a player/coach capacity in 2005.’
‘The Counties side is the summit for anyone below the elite level and recognises younger players who might be ready to make the step up to the professional game. For those competing it’s like a Test Match.’
‘But it does more than that,’ he continued. ‘We tour East Africa in early June and after we’ve played Kenya, Jan and myself will spend a couple of days with the coaches from their national side.’
‘At the same time the squad members will be involved with an outreach of tag rugby, so there’s a real agenda to help the spread of the game worldwide.’
The England Counties XV is the pinnacle of the game for any rugby player outside of the fully professional arena and, for this season, Blackheath’s Steve Pope has been appointed their Forwards Coach.
The Director of Club Rugby has been working alongside Head Coach Jan Bonny from Rosslyn Park in preparing a squad of players from clubs below the Premiership and Championship for a match against an Irish Clubs’ XV on 16th March (to be played at Preston Grasshoppers RFC) and a summer tour to Kenya and Uganda.
‘I was invited to interview for the post and very pleased to be offered the
chance,’ said Steve, who will combine his new post with his current role of developing players from around the south east clubs and schools through the transition from junior to senior level, alongside coaching the senior squad at Blackheath.
‘It’s an exciting opportunity for me to expand my coaching career as well as working with a talented group of players. Jan and I have been watching a lot of matches and meeting on a weekly basis for some time.’
‘The team to play the Irish side will be picked solely from National Leagues One, Two and Three, but the selection pool for the Africa tour will be expanded to those involved in the County Championship in May.’
A former prop-forward, Steve is no stranger to the England Counties set-up. Having started at Blackheath, he went on to play for the representative side (then referred to as National Divisions XV) against Australia and South Africa while at London Welsh in 2000/01.
‘Those two matches gave me the opportunity to play professionally at Swansea before I returned to Blackheath in a player/coach capacity in 2005.’
‘The Counties side is the summit for anyone below the elite level and recognises younger players who might be ready to make the step up to the professional game. For those competing it’s like a Test Match.’
‘But it does more than that,’ he continued. ‘We tour East Africa in early June and after we’ve played Kenya, Jan and myself will spend a couple of days with the coaches from their national side.’
‘At the same time the squad members will be involved with an outreach of tag rugby, so there’s a real agenda to help the spread of the game worldwide.’
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