News

Following the recent sudden and unfortunate departure of the Club’s first ever Director of Rugby, Keri Lovell, Old Penarthians RFC has wasted no time in securing the services of a replacement.

We are delighted to announce that our new Director of Rugby is:- Stuart Clarke

Stuart is a very experienced level 3 qualified coach and leader who has performed roles for the Welsh Rugby Union as Hub Officer and Coach Educator. He is equally at home in both the 15-a-side game and 7s and has won numerous honours in both versions of the game. Stuart is also a current 1^st XV player.

He has previously played and coached the Oxford Brookes University 1^st  XV and is a previous captain of Penarth RFC youth. His coaching CV makes for impressive reading, most recently as Head Coach for 3 years with the Cardiff Blues senior women’s XV but also on the elite women’s 7s circuit with the Olorun Ponty Butchers, attending tournaments around the world including Dubai, Barbados and our very own Old Pens 7s.

Stuart has also held Head Coach roles with numerous Cardiff Blues age-grades and the Vale of Glamorgan U15s.

The role will be an all-encompassing one with responsibility for overseeing the growth and development of all forms of rugby at the club from under sixes through to seniors, veterans and ladies, and will include individual player development and player retention.

With nearly 400 players across the age-ranges having recently returned to training after the latest ‘Fire-break’, there couldn’t be a better time for him to take up the reins, and everyone at the Club wishes him well in his new role.