From New Zealand to north Shropshire – Whitchurch begin new era under Brown

New coach Steve Brown has been involved in the game across the planet and can call upon experience garnered under New Zealand legend Graham Henry to help the Reds this season.

Brown has taken over the helm from Noel Speed who backed the new incumbent to make his mark on the north Shropshire club.

He said: "I am looking forward to being able to watch Whitchurch grow under Steve's leadership and wholeheartedly feel he is the right man to guide the club under the new league restructure. I wish Steve and the club great success for the coming season."

Chairman Dave Windsor also backed Brown to lead the club to new heights.

It is a new era for Whitchurch Rugby Club.

He said: "‘I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Steve from Edgeley Road. Steve is a recent appointment but the ideas he has brought already and the commitment he has shown to the club and players is outstanding. I know we will go from strength to strength."

Brown has a large remit at the club and will also form part of the drive to to form a girls team to add to the club's armoury of sides.

He said: "I chose Whitchurch Rugby Club over a couple of others due to their commitment to their players and the community.

"They believe in the same ethos as myself – player first, player centered. I tend to use a mixture of ‘ask and delegate’ which I learned from Graham Henry while coaching in New Zealand, it has served us both well."

Brown has coached all over the world, including Luxembourg, Malta and New Zealand and in his native England at Worcester RFC, Tenbury RFC and Cannock RFC.

Brown's biggest success was while coaching in Auckland where he was community coach with Tamaki College where he took the team to national finals and during that time the All Blacks turned up to lead a televised coaching session.