BREAKING NEWS: Head coach to leave Sudbury Ruby Club

Sudbury Rugby Club’s head coach, Graham Richards, has announced his intention to quit the promotion-chasing club at the end of the current season, the Free Press has learned.

The announcement was made to his players following Saturday’s pleasing 45-0 home win over local rivals Ipswich.

We can be nothing but grateful for everything Graham has done at the club.

Richards, the former director of rugby at St Joseph’s College who guided Sudbury to promotion to London League Two North East as champions last season, is set to return to his homeland in Wales at the end of the current campaign — whatever the outcome.

Saturday’s local derby victory was Richard’s side’s sixth straight win and left Sudbury second in the table ahead of a mouth-watering contest at third placed Diss a week on Saturday (February 13, 2.30pm).

Chairman Bob Waller said: “We can be nothing but grateful for everything Graham has done at the club.”

Sudbury still have seven league games left to play over the next three months, but Richards is set to remain in charge until the end of the campaign with The Whittome Field-based club having an opportunity to ensure a replacement is sought before then.

* For more on this story, see Thursday’s Suffolk Free Press print edition.