Rugby legend Tane Manihera has agreed to take on the role of lead coach for Wigton Under-18s in the coming season.
It will be the third consecutive year that the club has entered a team into the North East leagues and the 2024/25 season will see Manihera taking over from Barry Sloan and Chris Smith who have done an excellent job providing the young lads with advice and support throughout their age grade rugby experiences.
Manihera will lead a young team that have been successful throughout their age groups but the club is inviting any interested players who are Under-18s and want to play a season at Colts level to join them at Lowmoor Road.
Wigton coach David Warwick said: “Lots of kids that age get pushed up to senior rugby too early. We are not looking to pinch players from other clubs, but they can play for our Colts at their own age group and then go back to their own clubs to play senior rugby.
“I guarantee they’ll enjoy being coached by Tane as he himself has been coached by some very good coaches in both rugby union and rugby league.
“With Manihera’s rugby nous the young Greens will be encouraged to play an exciting brand of rugby and will benefit from one of the best attacking rugby minds in either code.”
The games will predominantly be on a Sunday afternoon but there is scope to play Saturdays. The opposition will include fellow Cumbrians Penrith and several north-east-based clubs.
Training starts this Tuesday from 6.30pm at Lowmoor Road and any newcomers will receive a warm welcome.
Manihera, 49, had a splendid career in rugby league in which he played for all four county sides – Carlisle, Barrow, Workington and Whitehaven, as well as Widnes, before moving into rugby union with Wigton and eventually hanging-up his boots.
