The club are delighted to announce the appointment of Laurence Ovens as this seasons head coach.
Ovens, a prop forward made 21 premiership appearances for Bath between 2004 and 2009, before moving to Newcastle, where he made a further 15 appearances in the top flight. He then played for Bedford Blues and Rosslyn Park in the championship.
In 2009 while still at Bath Laurence was called up by the world famous ‘Barbarians’ side to play in the annual Mobbs memorial match which is played in honour of Lt Col Edgar Mobbs, the former England and Northampton winger who was killed leading an assault on an enemy machine gun post at Passchendale in July 1915.
Although his best playing days are perhaps behind him, he will pull his boots on, and it is hoped that his experience at the top level will be invaluable to the youngsters around him in the first fifteen, and his understanding of the ‘Dark arts’ in the front row should mean that Wellington will scrummage well.
Laurence’s philosophy is that rugby is a simple game, and sides should try to execute the basics really well. If teams are able to do that, coupled with extremely good fitness levels then they will be difficult to beat.
The club have been looking at a new coaching set up for next season, after last year’s head coach Matt Parson moved to the role of coaching co-ordinator, and last season’s forwards coach Steve Pape moved to North Petherton. Although disappointed that he was leaving the split was amicable and the club are extremely grateful for his help in securing the services of Laurence, who was an old friend. Oven’s brings recent experience at the top level and a keenness to achieve that will hopefully be infectious throughout the club.