GARETH Gravell, pictured, last season's Newport skipper who led them to the inaugural Welsh Premier Division title, has become the latest Black and Amber player to join English First Division side Coventry.

And not content with that, the Midlands outfit have also signed former Newport director of rugby Darryl Jones as joint back coach to work alongside another Welshman, former international lock Steve Williams, as forwards coach.

Jones' other joint backs coach colleague will be former Rotherham stalwart Mike Umaga, brother of New Zealand All Blacks ace Tana Umaga. Williams took up the main post after leaving Northampton, where he worked under Wayne Smith.

Dynamic flanker Gravell has signed a one-year full time professional contract with Coventry and was due to begin training today.

He joins other former Newport players Craig Richards, Richard Davies and Llyr Lane at Coventry as well as ex-Dragon Sean van Rensburg and Gareth Cull after rejecting a switch to France to play for top First Division side Auch.

The 23-year-old, explaining his move, said: "I would like to have stayed at Newport but it didn't work out for various reasons. Nobody is to blame. I had intended signing for Auch and I spent a few days out there to get the feel of things.

"But I felt the language and culture change would be too much and after speaking to Andy Powell (the former Newport player who had a spell in France) and others I decided against it.

I spoke to Newport again afterwards, but by then they had more or less tied up their squad and so I opted for Coventry, from whom I had had an offer at the end of last season. There are a lot of Welsh guys up there and I should feel at home."

The Llanelli-born former Wales 7s player had hoped to win a regional contract and felt last season, his third at Newport, had been his best.

"I felt more a part of things last season," he said. "We had tremendous team spirit, everyone was so friendly and the fans were superb.

"To win the Premier Division title was a great feeling and I said all along that I wanted to stay, but it did not work out and it's no-one's fault."

Jones was not available to comment today but a Coventry spokesman joked,"We told him that as so many Newport players had joined us, he might as well come along as well."

There is another side in the Coventry area known as Coventry Welsh, but there is no truth in the rumour the clubs are considering changing names!