Coaching Team

Will Mbanga – Director of Rugby

Will Mbanga is a Sport Science graduate and is currently teaching in a local school. Will has a coaching background in secondary & tertiary education institutions, as well as experience in private practice as both a Rugby coach & skills/ conditioning trainer. He has coached schools rugby at junior & 1st XV level, as well as provincial & national U18 & U21 teams in Zimbabwe and South Africa. He has successfully coached U21 & 1st XV club rugby at Albany Rugby Football Club, Wanderers Rugby Club and Pirates Rugby Club, all in South Africa. Will was Head coach of the Zimbabwe U20 team in the 2005 IRB Junior World Championship and has held consultancy coaching roles within SA Rugby & Currie Cup/ Super Rugby franchises. For a former flyhalf, Will’s obsession with coaching forwards has seen him accused of being a forward trapped in a back’s body!

Liam Middleton – Guest Coach

Guest Coach: Liam Middleton has been Head coach at Cheltenham for the past 5 seasons and has recently been appointed Head Coach of Bristol Rugby. After starting his coaching career in Natal, South Africa, Middleton joined the Hartpury Rugby Academy. From there, he went on to become the Talent ID Coach for the RFU before joining Bristol at the start of 2009/10 as Academy Manager. Over the past two years, he has developed the Academy to the point where it is now considered to be one of the strongest in the country. Liam has also coached the Zimbabwe National 7′s team to great success on the IRB 7′s circuit and is an RFU Level 4 qualified coach who is passionate about the club.

Matt Sherratt – Attack Coach

Attack Coach: Matt Sherratt joined Bristol Rugby at the beginning of the 2011/12 season having spent four years as an Academy Coach at Worcester Warriors and previously worked with Gloucester Rugby EPDG, Gloucestershire and of course Cheltenham Rugby Club. Matt specialises in back play and attack and is currently undertaking his RFU level 4 coaching qualification.