Saints academy coach Mark Hopley makes his National League One playing return tomorrow when he turns out for Coventry in their clash with Richmond.
Hopley, who made more than 50 first-team appearances for Saints up until the summer of 2010, has played for the past two seasons for Birmingham & Solihull.
He has yet to play a senior game this campaign due to his duties with the Saints Academy, and the fact the Saints registered him as a player as cover for the Wanderers.
He has been a squad member for several of the Saints second string’s matches so far this season, but with Wanderers sealing their place in the A-League semi-finals earlier this week, Hopley has been given permission to play elsewhere by his Franklin’s Gardens bosses.
He will make his debut for Coventry at No.8 tomorrow, replacing Jacques Le Roux, who flew back to South Africa last Sunday following the death of his father.
Coventry rugby director Phil Maynard admits he has been trying to bring Hopley to the Butts Park Arena for some time, and that his now very timely arrival could have happened before the start of the season.
“He was going to be here for the whole of the season, but because of injuries at Saints he was pulled back there on a player’s contract until the end of October,” said Maynard.
“Saints have got through to the A League semi-finals now, so he has been given dispensation to play for us early which is great news.
“I’ve tried to get him here for the last couple of years and I’ve always had it in my mind that if we did have a real problem we could get hold of him.”
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