Coaching role an exciting step for me, says Afoa
about growing our people from within. Jonny becomes the fourth member of our playing leadership group over the last four seasons to join the management team after Nick Fenton-Wells our team manager, Sam Jeffries our professional development manager, and Jordan Crane as our senior transition coach.”
Despite his advancing years, Afoa has remained very much a first-team option for the Bears bringing an extra layer of creativity and attacking smarts to the Bears front-row, along with his obvious physicality and scrummaging work. It will be interesting to see how his minutes are managed and how he adapts to the dual role from next season, but Afoa is keen to build on the Bears growing reputation at the set-piece.
“This is an exciting step for me personally and I’m grateful to Pat for the opportunity. There’s a significant responsibility and it’s one that I’m relishing alongside representing the Bears on the field,” Afoa said. “We’ve developed a good reputation with our scrum, so the impetus is on me to build on that work.”
England centre Manu Tuilagi has signed a new two-year contract with Gallagher Premiership club Sale.
His deal will now run until the end of the 2022-23 season.
The 29-year-old, who is nearing full fitness after suffering an Achilles injury five months ago, initially joined Sale from Leicester on a short-term arrangement last year.
He has won 43 caps and toured Australia with the British & Irish Lions in 2013.
“I feel incredibly grateful to have the chance to stay here for another two years,” Tuilagi said.
Former England wing Ugo Monye is to chair the Rugby Football Union’s newly-formed diversity and inclusion advisory group.
The independent panel has been set up to support the RFU’s objective of “driving rugby union in England to reflect the diversity in society”.
Monye will head the group, with former England star and current Wasps Ladies director of rugby Giselle Mather acting as vice-chair.
Also present are ex-England Sevens player James Bailey and former England women’s captain