Former England hooker named as new Jersey Reds forward coach

Jersey Reds have announced former England hooker Rob Webber as the club’s new forwards coach.

Webber will take on the forwards coach role following the departure of Neil Tunnah, who confirmed recently that he’ll be leaving the Reds this summer after three years.

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Webber, who is in the final season of a playing career that included 16 international caps and more than 300 appearances at the top level of domestic rugby, will move to the Island this summer to link up with former team-mate Harvey Biljon, the Reds’ Director of Rugby.

Biljon said he was looking forward to welcoming Webber to the Island.

‘We’ve spoken to some very high-quality individuals about the role, but Rob stood out and I’ve had a lot of positive endorsements from people I respect,” he said. “He knows the game and is very articulate and I believe his character will really transmit itself to the others he’ll be working with.

“There’s a lot of excitement about Rob’s arrival and it will be great to have him working in harness with [Assistant Coach] Ed Robinson – two really promising young English coaches.”

Webber, 33, who will move to the Island with his wife Lauren and daughter Ronnie, said:

“I am really excited about moving to Jersey and joining The Reds’ coaching team. It’s a great opportunity for me and my family as I set out on the next phase of my career.

“It is an exciting squad that Harvey and the guys are putting together and I look forward to contributing to helping the lads push on.

“I’d like to thank Harvey and [Reds Chairman] Mark Morgan for giving me the opportunity.”

Born in York in August 1986, Webber enjoyed a sixteen-year career that has seen him represent Leeds Tykes, Wasps, Bath Rugby and Sale Sharks at the end of season after deciding to pursue other opportunities within rugby.

He started his career at Leeds Tykes in 2003 after growing up playing grassroots rugby in Yorkshire for Pocklington RUFC.

He made two appearances for Leeds in the European Challenge Cup during his two years at the club, before moving south to Wasps in 2005, where he made his name in the sport. After four seasons at Adams Park, Webber got his first taste of international rugby after being named in the England Saxons squad for the 2009 Churchill Cup.

A call up to the Senior England squad followed in 2010 ahead of the annual summer tour, with Webber making his full debut in a non-capped game vs the New Zealand Mauri in Napier. Webber would go on to win 16 caps in total for England throughout the next four seasons, eventually finishing his international career at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

The combative hooker went on to make over 100 appearances for the now Coventry based Wasps between 2005 and 2012, during which time the club celebrated both European and Premiership successes.

After seven years at Wasps, he made the move to Bath Rugby at the end of the 2011/12 season where he played 82 games and helped guide the blue, black and white to a Premiership Rugby Final in 2015, losing out to Saracens at Twickenham.

After signing for Sale ahead of the 2016/17 Premiership season, the then 29-year-old found a new lease of life in Manchester and found some of the best form of his career in a Sharks shirt. Webber has made over 90 appearances for Sale since joining and will likely reach his century of games in navy blue before hanging up his boots at the end of the season.