Matt Cornwell rejoins Leicester Tigers – Rugby News Update
Matt Cornwell, the 27-year-old Centre playing for Italian side Mogliano, has signed for the Leicester Tigers ahead of the new season.
Richard Cockerill, the head coach of the Tigers is excited and believes that the player has the requisite qualities to improve the squad.
"Matt has been playing at fly-half in Italy and has been doing well. He will come here as our fourth-choice fly-half who can also play in the centres and full-back. But what is also important about Matt is that he knows the club and is a really good bloke,”
said Cockerill.
Cockerill just had to endure a defeat in the final of the Aviva Premiership to the Harlequins, who won their first title. The Tigers are the team to beat in the top tier of English rugby, as they have reached eight consecutive finals. They ended the regular
season just a mere point behind the winners, the Quins, but they lost many players to international duty, something that Cockerill is mindful off.
Cornwell had spent four years with the Tigers before moving to the Exeter Chiefs and later he played for the Saints. He made his move to the Italian side to play in the Super 10. Cornwell likes to play in the centre but he is a versatile back, who is equally
adept at playing fly-half, fullback or even inside-centre. This versatility will aid Cockerill who will lose Toby Flood and most probably George Ford to England during the campaign.
He said, "Unfortunately, our academy lad has just started in a grand final! The problem we may have is that Flood and Ford could both be away with England. Flood is a certainty and Ford has a good chance too.”
The Tigers have not made any new signing for the season but it seems they have secured the services of Dan Bowden, Miles Benjamin and Adam Thompstone. Cockerill also likes to have four fly-halves, with one of them being an academy graduate.
The Tigers would want to play with the some verve next season, and by bringing a former player back they have made the team stronger.
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