The Coventry 'appeal' that won over ex-England back row Matt Kvesic
Former England international flanker Matt Kvesic has explained why he has signed for Coventry ahead of the 2023/24 Championship season. Despite more than 200 Gallagher Premiership appearances to his name, the 31-year-old was left clubless at the start of last season’s top-flight when Worcester financially collapsed.
That saw him embark on an Italian adventure with Zebre Parma in the URC, but England is now home again for Kvesic after he decided to join Coventry. “I wanted to be close to home after being in Italy for six months without my wife and family which I found really tough,” he explained.
“When Coventry reached out and said they were interested on the back of what the club did last year when they finished third in the Championship, I thought it would be a good opportunity to get my teeth into something and enjoy my rugby again.
“I know (Coventry scrum-half) Will Chudley well – he is a good friend of mine – and he was in my ear to try and persuade me to come up here. The style of rugby that Cov play really appeals to me. It’s an exciting brand that tries to keep the ball alive and play with plenty of pace, which is what comes with such a young playing group.
“The 3G pitch is really helpful as you know exactly what you are going to get and it’s well-suited to an open game. Hopefully, we can use that to our advantage and make more progress from last year. Coming back into a family club environment like Cov has been great; everyone has been really welcoming and the training has been good.
'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
“What happened at Worcester still rankles with me – it was equally tough for London Irish and Wasps – and it has been especially difficult not to see the club bounce straight back. But that is all in the past now and I am looking to the future here at Coventry.”
Despite his Premiership debut coming in 2011 when Martin Johnson was the England boss and Marcus Smith was still at primary school, the back-rower has admitted to secretly enjoying the gruelling physical demands of pre-season training. “I’m a bit weird as I actually enjoy it,” he said.
“I had a bit of a nightmare this year as I tweaked a calf and missed a fair bit of training in the first two weeks to do rehab. As a result, I have taken a fair bit of stick about missing the tough bits and coming back in when it started to get a bit easier!
“We started in June about a week after the Premiership teams finished last season, so it feels like we have had a long pre-season and we have certainly got through lots of hard work.
“The boys have trained really well and after gradually doing more and more rugby content in recent weeks we are all desperate to play now so the friendlies against Leicester Lions and Moseley and then the Saracens cup game can’t come soon enough.
“With the playing group we have got if we produce the sort of rugby of which we are capable we can beat anyone,” he continued. “Jersey will be full of confidence after winning the league last year and having them first game will be a good test for us.
“It seems like plenty of clubs will be stronger than last year and, in particular, Doncaster seem to have made some good signings. We have also seen how Ealing have recruited plenty of outstanding players including some internationals, but we will stick to our mindset and focus on ourselves and we have the potential to move forward from last year.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments