New HQE Coaches Sam Clapham & Leilani Feaunati
New HQE Coaches Sam Clapham & Leilani Feaunati

Hatfield Queen Elizabeth Rugby Club has appointed two coaches for the 2019/20 season – A first for the club. For the upcoming season, which begins on Saturday 14 September Sam Clapham will be the head coach with former woman’s international player Leilani Feaunati coming in as assistant coach.

Clapham played at Tring since the age of seven and represented the club at every level. He was scrum half for the first team winning five promotions in six seasons to National 3 where he played for a further six seasons he has represented Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire county teams as well. He also has quite the distinguished coaching career already. He was Player/Coach at Buckingham RFC, Tring Academy Head Coach and has worked for the RFU in rugby development for the past eight years, where he is now a Community Rugby Coach in Hertfordshire.

This is Feaunati’s first coaching position, but she has had quite the playing career. She plays as a fullback, winger and centre and has represented the Samoan national side in both the full side and the 7s side. She has also been a Saracens player and even toured with the Nomads to South Africa where she played in front of Nelson Mandela to honour his birthday.

Coming to coach at Hatfield, Clapham saw it as a great prospect. “It’s a good opportunity to work with a club that is ambitious, work with guys that are playing rugby for the right reason, and have the chance to put my own spin on a club,” he explains.

Clapham has taken charge for just two preseason training sessions so far, but is impressed with what he’s seen. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised so far, there are some quality players in there and those that are eager to learn and get better – which is brilliant for a coach.”

Feaunati agrees: “I wanted to share my knowledge and help with this club. It’s a group of guys who are really passionate about rugby, but they aren’t the fittest, they haven’t got the best skills yet, but potentially they will be a great team.”

Both coaches are keen to get started and have ambitious goals, but believe that the club has the players to do it.

“We can take the league by storm!’ Clapham states “I’ve got goals of us finishing top three and scoring 400 points across the season. If we do that whilst playing the right sort of rugby and we’re enjoying ourselves, then it will set the wheels in motion for a great future.”

Feaunati concludes by adding: “I would like us to come top two and make it to the cup finals.”