Coventry swoop for a pair of ex-Edinburgh spats

Coventry Rugby have added a pair of Scottish defenders to their squad ahead of next season’s Championship campaign.

Rapid winger Jake Henry has joined on a season-long loan from Pro-14 side Edinburgh, where he spent two years in the academy before this season making the senior squad and gaining experience in both the URC and Europe.

The 23-year-old represented Scotland at both under-20 and sevens level, playing in four tournaments around the world before scoring a hat-trick during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in Coventry.

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Having started his club career with Highland RFC, in more recent times Henry has played for Melrose Storm, Southern Knights and Heriot’s in Scotland’s Super Six competition.

Henry said he went straight to former Cov flanker Tom Dodd to discuss the possibility of a move south.

“Tom has nothing but good things to say about Coventry,” he said.

“Speaking to Alex, the way he’s playing at Coventry sounds really interesting for a full-back and I can’t wait to get started.”

Head coach Alex Rae expects Henry to be a good fit for Cov’s attacking tempo.

“Jake is a very exciting player who is very keen to prove it,” he said.

“Every time he touches the ball you feel like something could happen and that style will really suit the way we want to play.

“Talking to him, he’s ready to make a number of plays and see where he can take it.”

Cov’s second recent signing – Australian-born goal-kicking scrum-half Liam Richman – also has a connection to the Scottish capital.

The 26-year-old played school and club rugby in Brisbane before heading to Canberra, where he had a spell with the Brumbies, then Sydney, where he played in the same Shute Shield competition that Pat Pellegrini emerged from.

After arriving in Scotland. Richman played in the Super Six with Heriot’s without appearing in the same side as Henry and has since played some pre-season and A-team games for Edinburgh.

He is currently club captain at Heriot’s and has covered full-back and center as well as his preferred role of No.10.

Rae believes Richman will prove to be a useful addition to the Blues squad.

“It’s great to welcome back Liam who is a really talented player,” he said.

“He’s been through different cultures and environments that have given him some fantastic experiences.

“He is now very keen to settle down at Coventry and make an impact on the team, which has been music to our ears.”

Richman said he is keen to test himself in the Championship and is therefore delighted to be joining one of the competition’s top clubs.

“The brand of rugby that Coventry play really jumped out at me,” he said. It’s a fast-paced game that really suits my playstyle.

“It also seems like a very tight group and a club steeped in history, so taking on the challenge of competing in a professional environment with them was an easy choice.”