Welcome, Louie Tonkin!

Ealing Trailfinders are pleased to announce the signing of Louie Tonkin as an Assistant Coach from the start of the 2024/25 season.

Arriving from Cornish Pirates, Tonkin has a wealth of knowledge to bring to Trailfinders Sports Club, boasting over a decade of coaching experience.

Born in Cornwall but raised in Wales, the former lock began his coaching career at Scarlets Academy, quickly rising through the ranks, becoming Head Coach at Carmarthen Quins, and later at Pontypool RFC.

During this time, he also served as Forwards Coach for Wales Students and Head of Rugby at Cardiff University, a testament to his dedication and passion for the sport.

After his time in Wales, Tonkin moved to be Director of Rugby at Bahrain Rugby whilst also acting as a Coach Educator at World Rugby.

Finally, he moved back to the UK to take up a role as Academy Coach at Exeter Chiefs before joining Cornish Pirates, where he has been Assistant Coach for three seasons.

Stepping into a new chapter of his rugby journey at Ealing Trailfinders, Tonkin said, “I’m really excited to be starting a new chapter in my career with Ealing. The programme is impressive, and the ambition is what attracted me to the club, and it matches my ambition as a coach and a person.”

Director of Rugby Ben Ward shared his excitement about Tonkin’s addition, stating, “We are delighted to welcome Louie to our coaching team next season. He will bring a lot of experience to the role and has been working with some of our young players who are on loan at Cornish Pirates this season.

“The philosophies of our two clubs are aligned quite well, and Louie will slot in seamlessly with how we operate here at Trailfinders.”