1
Coventry agree to three extensions, including Patrick Pellegrini deal
Championship high-flyers Coventry have celebrated the end of another promising season by confirming that Tonga out-half Patrick Pellegrini, former England back-rower Matt Kvesic and engine room talisman James Tyas have all signed contract extensions for 2024/25.
ADVERTISEMENT
Alex Rae’s side finished third last season, 11 points behind champions Jersey, and they are currently placed second, four points behind leaders Ealing.
However, with their 20-game campaign over, they are likely to lose hold of the runners-up spot as third-place Cornish Pirates still have one game remaining.
Consecutive third-place finishes would still be quite an achievement, though, teeing Coventry up for what they hope can be a title-winning season next term.
A statement on their contract extensions read: “Coventry have received a major boost with the confirmation that Tongan World Cup star Pat Pellegrini plus former England flanker Matt Kvesic and experienced lock James Tyas will again be part of their squad next season.
“Back-to-back top-three finishes have thrust Cov into the spotlight as title contenders for 2024/25, and a lot of this progress has been down to a group of players that really buy into the ethos created by head coach Alex Rae plus his coaching and support team.
“Pellegrini’s 2023/24 Coventry campaign began slightly late due to his call-up by Tonga for a Rugby World Cup campaign in which he scored a memorable try against double world champions South Africa.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Since returning to Butts Park Arena, the fly-half has continued to produce the form that earned him international honours, finishing the Championship campaign as the league’s top points scorer.
“He has also created and finished any number of thrilling tries with the trademark sidestep and explosive pace that makes him such a favourite with the Butts Park faithful.
“Kvesic joined the blue-and-whites a year ago and has since gone on to be one of the Championship’s most consistent performers.
“Operating in all three back row positions, the 32-year-old has started 22 of his club’s 25 competitive games this season. In addition to his breakdown skills and powerful ball-carrying, Kvesic has brought invaluable experience to Rae’s young squad.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Experienced second row forward Tyas, has signed a new contract that extends his stay at the Butts Park Arena into a fourth year. A measure of Tyas’ importance is that he has started 22 games this season. Indeed, all 61 of his Coventry appearances to date have been as part of the run-on line-up – a very rare feat indeed.
“The details of Tyas’ on-field contribution only tell half the tale, however, since he is also in charge of the club’s analysis team via his company Pro View and is responsible for running Cov’s lineout.”
Coach Rae said: “It’s great to have Pat on board again. There are not many fly-halves who play the way he does. He has played a huge part in the way we want to attack and entertain people. His work ethic and desire to become even better are really impressive and on top of all that he cares deeply and is a fantastic person.
??? ?? ???? ??
Cov fans, how much do you like this one…
The fly-half is back for another year and we can’t wait ?#CommittedToCov ??? pic.twitter.com/rFWN2pTE11
— Coventry Rugby (@CoventryRugby) May 16, 2024
“We also feel very lucky to have a player and person of Matt’s calibre. The way he conducts himself day to day is a great example to our younger players of what a true professional looks like and his performances have been really consistent this season.
“Since James arrived, he has been one of the most consistent performers who every week gives everything he’s got and sets a brilliant example. He is obsessed with getting better every day and is exactly the kind of person we want to be working with and is very much someone for younger players to look up to.”
Tyas added: “I’m already really excited about the future. We have made progress every year and after talking to Alex and Nick (Johnston) their plans for next year are something I really want to be involved with.
“Working with our coaching group has taken my game to another level – I feel challenged and pushed by them to keep improving. I believe I have a few more good years in me and want to spend them seeing just how far we can go as a club.”
'I’m now a rugby creditor but what that means we will see, which I don’t think will be anything'@mattkvesic talks to @heagneyl ??? about life after Worcester, @ZebreParma and trying to find a new club in a flooded market https://t.co/wFFxdqZlVl
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 7, 2023
Comments on RugbyPass
Dupont may not even be the GOAT in France and has a ways to go to surpass the great #Blanco
35 Go to commentsI’m sure Worcester fans will be as surprised as me to read that Fin Smith came through the Northampton academy.
1 Go to commentsBlitzboks have forgotten how to tackle.
1 Go to commentsWhat sort of ridiculous format this year where the title was won recently and over a whole season only to have winner takes all here? Not just the Ferns (look hey nothing between them and Aus who deserved this win) but Argentina who have been the best team all year then France with that freak for a couple of tournaments wins the overall title? Madness Forget the Olympics - unrelated and of course that is a one off tournament
1 Go to commentsThat is one helluva comeback!!! Hats off to the sheer bloody minded determination that must have taken. Hope he goes fantastically well at the T20 wc.
1 Go to commentsRayasi is now 7 or 8 years into his pro career, albeit one that started when he was young. At 27, as an outside back in NZ, he is probably closer to heading overseas than he is to the ABs. To get on the selectors radar he needs to have a great NPC, then another great SR campaign in 2025. Ben Lam was never really able to do that, he was a feast or famine type player. Three great games, then goes missing for the next 3.
11 Go to commentsDupont sees opportunities where there wasn’t one until he makes it so. Utter class.
3 Go to commentsThese are the guys that do the cohesion predictions? That will be a very interesting review and they have likely already told the Crusaders of their expections for them given such a young and inexperienced squad without all their injured and departed players. I wonder if any of that will get leaked out, perhaps only if the cohesion metric predicted such a season? Actually even that would like badly upon the backoffice, I suspect it likely we will never know what Gain Line Analytics made of this season now! Unless the PUs put its publication to vote?
12 Go to commentsCurrently across the super franchises the forwards choices for Robertson is in the luxury of the competitions depth for selection . However same can’t be said regarding selection of the backs, especially the inside backs. I believe that’s where his dilemma will be. If he can’t get mouanga for the start then he should forget him and move on.
30 Go to commentsIf they had another round up their sleeve then no doubt the sadas wouldv been top8. I say leave things alone and get into the next season I rekon the turn around will carry on.
12 Go to commentsSimilar to Arran Smith in his style of application.
5 Go to commentsSave your money. Just learn from the bad stuff and play better next year. Lost loads of key players and had half the team out broken for most of the season.
12 Go to commentsJosh Ioane has been great for opposition teams all season. The sooner the Chiefs unload him to MP the better.
11 Go to commentsMunster have very good back row stocks nowadays, lots of guys with very high potential. Okeke is unlucky not to get a contract. If he came along 10 years ago, he almost certainly would have. Could be very good for Coventry.
1 Go to commentsGreat article! Love that you point out so much that is positive, and back it up with quotes and clips.
1 Go to commentsNo scapegoats. No knee-jerk reactions. Just excuses in an expensive report under file 13. I’ll give the saders some free consulting - no planning after Razor. Just let things fall flat to rebuild. Easy.
12 Go to commentsJosh Bayliss was the early sub for Barbeary
1 Go to commentsHis deficiencies in defence must be major and beyond rebuilding because on attack he has a unique set of skills matched only by a combination of Mark Telea, Shaun Stevenson and Etene Nanai Seturo. His aerial and kicking game is next level and he displays a contempt for one on one situations. We've become obsessed with our no. 11 being a power weapon ignoring the better multi faceted option. Mark Telea is helping to change that mind set, Salesi Rayasi would advance that too.
11 Go to commentsWayne barnes should join the Queen
271 Go to commentsHope both you dirty mutts get cancer and die
41 Go to comments