Shake-up at Wasps Netball as Mansfield ties down future - The Rugby Observer

Shake-up at Wasps Netball as Mansfield ties down future

Rugby Editorial 3rd Sep, 2020   0

HEAD Coach Mel Mansfield will lead Wasps for a third successive season after agreeing to a new contract at the club.

Having been involved for two years prior to her current role as an assistant coach in the 2017 and 2018 Vitality Superleague winning campaigns, Mansfield finished runner-up in her first season in charge and now seeks an immediate return to the top for the Black and Gold.

With the league cut short this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Mansfield says her team have plenty of reason to be vengeful looking ahead to 2021.

“It was incredibly disappointing that the season barely got started this year and I know the squad feel like there is unfinished business from that campaign,” she said.




“Next year will be season five for Wasps and I’ve been honoured to be involved in every one so far.

“We’re viewing this as a new phase for the club and the pandemic has afforded us time to think about the direction we are heading in. We have a phenomenal culture at Wasps and the players really took care of each other throughout the pandemic.


“Now we’re looking forward to getting back out there on court and competing for our third title.”

Another key figure has tied down her future to the club, namely Mansfield’s assistant Bianca Modeste, while a second coach in Colette Thomson has joined Wasps from Linden Netball Club having guided her former side to Premier League 1 promotion.

Thomson also oversaw Commonwealth Games gold with England Roses back in 2018, and is seen as an important capture for the years to come.

“Colette has a fantastic netball brain and is one of the most respected coaches in the sport both regionally and nationally,” Mansfield added.

“She has a great eye for talent and will help us to further develop our talented youngsters at Wasps.”

“I’ve known Bianca for many years and she has been a hugely popular figure with the team since joining us – we’re delighted to have her back on board.

“She’s a defensive specialist, straight talking, a joy to be around and I love working with her.”

In a further shake-up at the Ricoh Arena, former Director of Netball Tamsin Greenway has been lured away from her coaching and ambassadorial duties with the club to join the Scotland national team staff.

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