Hurrell says Cov fans can expect him to be much better...

second time around. 23-year-old centre says he's improved as a player since his last spell at Butts Park

Returning Coventry centre Will Hurrell admits he might not be as fast as when he first played for the Butts Park outfit but he insists he is both older and wiser after nearly three years away.

The 23-year-old Maths undergraduate is one of a dozen new signings made by rugby director Phil Maynard, but unlike the other 11 he returns to Coventry with the experience of having pulled on the Blue and White before.

The former Stourbridge midfielder did so 19 times between November 2008 and January 2010 before parent club Leicester sent him on loan to Doncaster.

Hurrell moved on to London Welsh, Rotherham and then Stour before agreeing to come back to the National One outfit.

“I am definitely a better player now, without a shadow of a doubt,” Hurrell said. “I have done a lot of work on areas of my game – my hands are a lot better, I am probably not as fast as I used to be but I am stronger, a better defender and a lot more street-wise.

“When I used to get the ball it was just a case of run wherever. I am a bit older and hopefully more mature

“I really enjoyed my time when I was here last time but I am going back in a different position, I was wing before and now I am hoping to play centre, 12 or 13, I think I can make more of an impact there.”

However, Hurrell admits returning from level four to a squad which contains several former internationals has been something of an eye-opener.

“It is a lot more intense than I thought it would be. I struggled for the first week or so.

“I am not a particularly fit person in general, my stamina is not great overall. But I have been working really hard on that, trying to get fit and ready for the first pre-season game.

“There are some decent players here now. If we are all fit at the same time it’s going to be tough to get in the side.”

Which was not a problem last season. As a young player Hurrell struggled to break into the Leicester side on a regular basis and after moving around the Championship decided to settle into a degree at Aston University.

He combined that with playing along his brother Rob at Stourton Park, where he made 28 starts and scored 13 tries as a crucial part of a Stour side that missed out on promotion in the play-off.

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