Worcester take another step forward with head coach appointment

Worcester have chosen Matt Everard as the man to lead them into a new era, pending their entry into the Tier 2 League for the 2025/26 season.

The 34-year-old former flanker is well known to Worcester’s majority shareholder, Chris Holland, from their days at Wasps and understands the Championship well, having played and coached in English rugby’s second tier before stepping up into the Premiership.

Harvey Biljon looked all set to become Worcester’s head coach but the Midlands outfit couldn’t get the deal over the line and he’ll remain focused on the job of getting Rotherham promoted from National 1.

Former Wasps player Biljon has done a brilliant job with the Titans, having gone there following Jersey Reds’ demise. Biljon led the Reds to the Championship title in 2022/23, but they were denied a shot at the Premiership as they didn’t meet the entry criteria.

In Everard, Worcester have lined up another quality individual and coach, although the club said in a statement on Friday that no contracts of employment have been issued yet.

Everard’s coaching journey began at Nottingham, where he was head coach of the academy, and he spent five years at Wasps, as a valued member of Dai Young’s and then Lee Blackett’s coaching team, before joining his former club Leicester.

In 2023/24, his first full season as defence coach, Leicester conceded the third-fewest points in the league, despite finishing eighth. Only two of the playoff teams, Sale and Saracens, had a better record. He left his role in February this year after a couple of heavy defeats but Worcester have wasted no time in getting him on board once they’d failed to land the services of Biljon.

The imminent appointment of a new head coach is another positive step in the right direction for the phoenix club, which last took to the field in September 2022. Last week, the club announced it had passed the RFU’s eligibility checks for entry into the new Tier 2 league.

Other challenges still have to be overcome, not least the small matter of recruiting a whole new squad at four months’ notice, but if successful, Everard has been lined up to lead the rugby operation.