{"id":2150,"date":"2025-06-02T16:12:10","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T15:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sidelinesmag.co.uk\/?p=2150"},"modified":"2025-06-02T16:49:07","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T15:49:07","slug":"rugby-tom-woolstencroft-coach-saracens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/sidelines\/2025\/06\/02\/rugby-tom-woolstencroft-coach-saracens\/","title":{"rendered":"From the scrum to the sidelines: Tom Woolstencroft exclusive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When the roars of the crowd die down, can rugby players trade that experience to be the person to guide the team? Sidelines spoke exclusively to x-Saracens front-rower Tom Woolstencroft about the challenges of switching from player to coach as he takes over the dugout at Bishop’s Stortford RFC.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tom Woolstencroft’s experience as a player speaks for itself. In his first season at Saracens, he won the Premiership and Champions Cup double, then added another Premiership title to his collection in the 2022\/23 season. Now he’s taking on a new role as forwards coach at National League One side Bishop’s Stortford RFC – a challenge he believes his career has prepared him for well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think the way I developed my rugby was playing alongside some of the best players and learning from them,\u201d Woolstencroft says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI found that as soon as you get more senior in your career, you\u2019re not just a teammate \u2013 you do become a coach to a lot of the younger boys coming through.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Woolstencroft suffered multiple concussions, which led him to an early retirement and inevitably towards the sidelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI found through a lot of the injuries and concussions I had that I would often have these periods where I\u2019d be unable to play, and even though I didn\u2019t have any kind of formal coaching capacity, I really enjoyed giving tips and feedback to the younger lads coming through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
<\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>
View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/a>

A post shared by Bishop's Stortford Rugby Club (@bsrfc)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n