LAUNCESTON Rugby Club have announced the appointment of former fly-half Steve Perry as the new first team head coach.

Perry, 45, made nearly 200 appearances at Polson Bridge and cut his first steps into coaching at the club before enjoying successful spells at both Barnstaple and Exmouth as a number one.

Last year he guided Newton Abbot to safety in Counties One Western West following the end of his seven-year spell at Exmouth, but the lure of Launceston and a return to Regional One South West level has proved too difficult to turn down.

Joining Perry, who will also look after the backs, is former Welsh international lock Will James.

The 49-year-old, who stands at six foot six, enjoyed a fine playing career which saw turn out for the likes of hometown club Plymouth Albion, Cornish Pirates and Premiership outfit Gloucester where he made close to 150 appearances.

His outstanding club form saw him win four Test caps for Wales - and since retirement he has coached in various places, as well as working at a school in North Yorkshire.

Now back living in the South West, James joins forces with Perry who he knows from their time together as players at Albion.

The two will take on a side that had a rollercoaster of a campaign in the 2025/26 season, only avoiding the relegation play-offs on the final day with a remarkable comeback at runners-up Topsham.

Recently departed head coach and director of rugby Ryan Westren saw Ian Goldsmith step down as joint in-command after one game, and with a new-look squad, often found results difficult to come by in a highly-competitive division.

But while wins were sparse at times, performances were much better than the results suggest as shown by the fact that eight of their 14 defeats were by seven points or less.

If Launceston can add in the right places then hopes are they will be back towards upper mid-table in the coming season.

A club statement read: “Launceston Rugby Club are proud to announce the appointment of Steve Perry as head coach, alongside the addition of Will James as forwards coach, bringing a wealth of knowledge, experience and proven pedigree to the club.

“Steve, a standout figure with vast coaching experience and a proven record following his playing career as an ex Cornish All Black, steps into the head coach role ready to lead Launceston forward with ambition, professionalism and a winning mindset.

“Joining him is Will, a respected rugby professional and international, whose expertise and leadership will be invaluable as he takes responsibility as forwards coach. With a strong understanding of high-performance environments and the technical demands of modern forward play, Will will work closely with the squad to build dominance in the contact area and set the standard across the pack.

“Steve will be responsible for the overall team direction, culture, and performance, with Will providing specialised guidance to strengthen the team’s foundations from the scrum, line-out, and breakdown through to phases and execution under pressure.

“Both are welcomed to Launceston as the club looks to build for the future – on and off the field – through hard work, clarity of purpose, and a relentless drive to improve. They will be working will all the coaches to improve standards throughout the whole club - and we’re excited for what this partnership will deliver.”