‘Tom is an ex-professional player who has played at the highest level and will bring experience to this club across all ages like we have never had before’.

Tom played over 100 games for Bath, the highlight lifting the European Challenge Cup in 2008, has played for Newport Gwent Dragons, and Harlequins and was honoured with a Barbarians cap in 2014 as well as being capped by Wales at every Youth level.

He currently is plying his trade at Esher where he will mix up his duties by providing support to the new Petersfield Coaching team and immersing himself in the Club before moving to take up a full Player Coach Role in the future.

The Benign Dictator went on: ‘Tom will bring a huge amount of elite player knowledge to the club to help us in all areas – advising the senior coaches on plays/ tactics and how to improve player performance, but it is with the Youth and Mini Section I see he can make the biggest difference:

• Helping set out ‘the Petersfield Way’ in coaching and promoting rugby across the club
• Helping All age group coaches, sharing his knowledge for further development
• Running Summer and Holiday Rugby Camps for the kids
• Running Elite Player sessions for those who want to improve and are in the County or London Irish cycles – who better to learn from than somebody who has been there and done it!
• Supporting the Academy
• Providing training programmes along with the Club S&C Coaches for those that want them to put them in better condition.

This is a major coup for the Club and it is important that we welcome Tom into the fold, and use his talents to maximise the rugby played at the club’.

Tom will be starting by taking a few sessions this Sunday for the kids whilst the parents help out at the RugbyForce Day at the clubhouse – come along, introduce yourself, meet the man and let the good times begin…