St AUSTELL RFC head coach Kyle Marriott and forwards coach Miles Davey are stepping back after the Saints’ magnificent campaign.

After the most successful season in the club’s history, Marriott has decided the time is right to bow out after five seasons at the helm, although he will be continuing as a player next season.

With wedding bells in the summer, he will be able to dedicate more time to his young family and his increasing work commitments. 

Marriott steered the Saints to the top of the Regional 2 SW this season. Promotion takes the club to Level Five, the highest St Austell RFC has ever reached in the RFU League structure. 

Forwards coach Davey is also stepping down; with a second child on the way, he felt the time was right to move aside from the off-field demands that the role requires.

Davey will also still be playing next season, bringing his competitive and combative style to training and playing.

St Austell RFC chair Paul Hayes said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work alongside Kyle and Miles. They set incredibly high standards for training and preparation and provided the leadership, example and motivation to inspire everyone to excel on and off the field. 

“With 40-50 players attending training, it is testimony to the innovative and challenging sessions put on by the coaches every Tuesday and Thursday. 

“They have developed an exciting attacking style of play that has been adopted by the Saints, Sinners and Spartans and taken us all on an incredible journey which culminated in 2022-23 being the most successful season in the club’s history.

“The Sinners finished fourth in Counties 2 Cornwall and won the Senior Duchy Cup Winners while the Spartans played 27 games, winning 19 of them and brought home the Duchy Cup.

“We had hoped to commemorate the end of the Marriott/Davey era with a cup final, but with the County Cup delayed until to August that is not to be. Instead we will celebrate at the Senior Awards Night on Friday May 26, it is sure to be a party to remember.”