Nick Easter has taken on a job in the third tier of English rugby

Ex-England No8 Nick Easter has dropped down two divisions to start working again in rugby after losing his job two months ago when Worcester went to the wall. The Warriors’ financial collapse resulted in all players and staff - including defence and forwards coach Easter - losing their jobs just three games into the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership season.

It was a particularly bitter pill for Easter to swallow as he had left Newcastle in the off-season for the opportunity to work alongside director of rugby Steve Diamond, only to have his stay at Worcester abruptly ended by the club’s financial mismanagement.

It was October 5 when Easter tweeted: “Only at Worcester Warriors a short time but the players, staff and supporters have had a lasting impact. Heartbroken the journey has ended. It’s also very clear who your friends are in a crisis.”

That crisis has now resulted in Easter agreeing just over eight weeks later to become the director of rugby at Chinnor, the Oxfordshire club that is in the lower reaches of the National One division after two wins and a draw in their opening eleven matches before they hosted bottom club Hull on Saturday.

National One is the third tier league in the English pyramid and this season’s champions will be promoted to a 2023/24 Championship that could feature a taken-over Worcester and also Wasps, the other Premiership club that went bust in recent weeks.

A statement on the grassroots club’s website read: “Chinnor RFU Thame is pleased to announce the appointment of Nick Easter as director of rugby. The 44-year-old will begin the role next week and joins our club with a wealth of playing and coaching experience at the highest level. Easter, who played at three World Cups for England, was most recently defence and forwards coach at Worcester Warriors. The former No8 made 281 appearances for Harlequins during his playing career and represented his country 54 times.

“After hanging up his boots, Easter spent two years as Harlequins' defence coach before joining Natal Sharks in South Africa as forwards and attack coach, helping them win the Currie Cup in 2018. Nick returned to England in 2020, becoming the defence and breakdown coach at Newcastle Falcons before moving on to Worcester.”

Easter said: "I’m looking forward to this opportunity and I’m delighted to become the club's new director of rugby. Chinnor is a fantastic community club and the aim is to build on what has been achieved here in recent years."

Chinnor head coach Craig Hampson added: "We told the boys at training Thursday night and there was a brilliant reaction. It’s a great signing for the club to bring in someone with his experience as both a player and a coach. Myself, the rest of the coaching team, and the players are really looking forward to working with him.”