By Paul Smith 
Coventry Rugby are going through something of a golden era for attacking back play.
With a former Scotland international fly half in Gordon Ross coaching the backs and a superb 3G artificial surface upon which to showcase their talent the BPA faithful are being treated to some thrilling running rugby.
Attacking rugby begins up front and this stellar attacking backline owes plenty to a pack which fit-again props Toby Trinder and Adam Nicol have in recent weeks made a big impact.
But Cov boss Alex Rae wants his side to entertain – and with 53 tries already shared between his centres and back three so far this season they are clearly matching this vision with their pace, skills and ambition.
It was the turn of outside centre Will Wand to underline his player-of-the-season credentials at Hartpury on Saturday as he equalled a club record by scoring four tries in a league match.
On-loan Bath back Will Butt most recently managed the feat against Jersey Reds in 2021 with popular full back James Stokes at Yorkshire Carnegie in the 2019/20 season plus winger Andy Smallwood (Newcastle 1996) and Jeff Gregson also previously grabbing a four-timer.
Wand who capped off a series of outstanding recent displays by claiming four of Cov’s seven tries in Gloucestershire was typically modest afterwards.
He said: “It’s obviously a really good feeling to score four tries. I’ve never scored a hat-trick before in any level of rugby so to get four is really special and to do it for a club like Cov in a tough game against Hartpury is a brilliant feeling.
“Hartpury beat us at the Butts Park Arena last time so we were really up for the return game and it is nice to turn that result around with such a good display.
“We stuck to our game plan really well and it was a good all-round team performance. It was very tough in the first half when the wind was so strong but we managed to utilize the conditions well.”
Wand paid tribute to full back Tobi Wilson and centre partner Tom Hitchcock’s roles in his four-timer.
“Tobi gave me the last pass or the chip ahead to assist for three of them so there’s a good connection going on there which is nice because he’s also a good mate off the field,” he said.
“Tom has slotted in really well and our partnership is working really nicely. He’s a very talented player who has great hands and we’re building a connection week by week.”
Head coach Rae is delighted with Wand’s recent form plus the meteoric rise of Wilson from youthful prospect to being perhaps the Championship’s stand-out full back.
“Will is a terrific player who is Mr Consistent week-in, week-out,” he said. “He joined us after playing in National One for Cambridge and I’m sure quite a few Premiership teams are watching him.
“Tobi has developed really well. We have put a lot of time into him and he has worked very hard as a result of which he has really grown and improved. As a 20-year-old he could achieve absolutely loads.”
Tickets for Coventry’s next Championship home game against Cambridge on Friday April 5th are available from: https://www.coventryrugby.co.uk/tickets/matchday-tickets/
