BOURNVILLE have finalised their coaching and management team for the 2025/26 season.
Alex Grove will be the new Head Coach having filled the post on an interim basis for the last two months of the season following the departure of Matt Price in early March.
Former Scotland and Worcester Warriors centre Grove has been Assistant Coach for the last two seasons.
Grove will be joined by CJ Osazuwa as Forwards Coach with hooker Ben Rhodes taking on a player/coach role with responsibility for the front row.
Osazuwa is a Nigeria international who was also a semi-professional footballer, His rugby playing career included stints with Birmingham Moseley, Chinnor, Richmond and Heriots as well as coaching with Dudley Kingswinford, Kidderminster Carolians, Nigerian Exiles, North Midlands Under-18s and Midlands Under-18s.
James Weaver, who retired from first team rugby after Saturday’s victory at Devonport Services, moves into a coaching role with Bournville Blues, the club’s Second XV, sharing the duties with Alex Warner who will also coach the Colts XV.
Following the retirement of Director of Rugby Paul Sumner due to work and family commitments, Bourns will call on the services of three stalwart club members, Mick Palmer, Alan Street and Steve Franklin.
Palmer, a former club Chairman, will be responsible for player welfare with Street and Franklin, also familiar figures at Avery Fields, taking on the administrative duties previously fulfilled by Sumner.
“We are delighted to have been able to complete our coaching and team management well in advance of next season,” said Bournville Managing Director Phil Maynard.
“Alex played at the highest level and worked with some top coaches during his playing career. He is a talented, intelligent and well-organised coach who impressed when he took charge of the team in the last two months of the season.
“The players responded to him in a very positive way which was reflected in some improved
performances. We hope that will continue next season.
“CJ is a newcomer to the club and we welcome him. He was appointed after a very thorough recruitment process. We received a dozen high calibre applications for the role, so it was an extremely competitive process.
“He comes with an excellent CV both as a player and a coach and we believe he will be an asset to the club as we regroup in Regional One.
“Ben made his mark as a player his first season with us and was very unfortunate to suffer a torn biceps at Loughborough in January.
“Ben is keen to continue playing next season but he also wants to develop his coaching skills and we believe that his experience and knowledge of the front-row will be a huge asset.
“We are delighted that James Weaver is staying with us in a new but important coaching role. The Blues won promotion in their first season in the RFU Leagues which was a notable achievement.
“They will be competing at a higher level next season and we believe that the combined experience of Weaves and Alex Warner will help the progress of the Blues and the wider playing group.
“Paul Sumner’s decision to step down because of work and family commitments left a sizeable hole for us to fill but we are fortunate to have some committed and hard-working volunteers to help us fill it.
“Mick Palmer is a model club man who has given the club outstanding service first as a player and then as an administrator.
“He is a regular attender at matches, home and away, a source of wise counsel and a good sounding board for players, coaches and committee members.
“Alan and Steve have done a lot of hard graft behind the scenes – much of which goes unnoticed – and they have now volunteered to share the administrative part of Paul Sumner’s role which is significant.”
