We were lucky enough to catch Tommy Mathews this week for a quick interview on life in the Championship! Tommy played for Petersfield all the way through his childhood and now plays for title contenders Coventry RFC, a side undefeated in the league so far this season! Read along to see what he had to say!

PRFC: Tommy, great to hear from you in what has been a busy few weeks for you! First and foremost, we have to talk about that win against Leicester Tigers just a few weeks ago—that must’ve been very special?

TM: Hi guys, yes, it was a great win, my first game back after three months with a knee injury. To play in front of 16,000 at Welford Road against a well-respected team in English rugby and get a win was very special, yes.

PRFC: You played your youth rugby for Petersfield before heading to Hartpury Academy at 16, and since then it’s been quite the journey! Could you give our readers an insight into your career so far?

TM: My career has been all over the place, to be honest. I’m only 23, but I’ve been at quite a few clubs. I started, as you said, at Petersfield, then went to Hartpury College at 16. I played for Wales and Gloucester Under 18s during that time. After college, I headed to Northampton Saints, where I signed a two-year professional deal.

I switched over to England Under 20s the year we won the Six Nations Grand Slam, which was cool to be part of. I then spent a season at Wasps and the following two seasons back at Hartpury in the Championship. This season, I signed for Coventry, who share great aspirations to play in the Premiership next season, so that’s pretty exciting.

PRFC: How has it been adjusting to life in a Coventry shirt?

TM: Yeah, life at Coventry has been really good. I really like the style of rugby they play. It took me a while to adapt during pre-season, but I’m getting there now, and it’s been really fun. I had an injury that put me out for about three months at the start of the season, but since coming back, I’ve really enjoyed it.

PRFC: Coventry currently sit top of the Championship after five games. Are potential promotion play-off hopes being thrown around in the changing rooms?

TM: Yes, definitely, those aspirations are there. I think it’s still early in the competition to be saying that outright, but we’re five from five at the moment. We’ve got a few big games coming up in December, so this next block is massive for us. Playing Cornish Pirates away will be tough, and then Ealing Trailfinders at home will be a huge game heading into 2025.

PRFC: You’ve brushed shoulders with some stars in your career so far. Who would you say is the best rugby player you’ve played with or against?

TM: I’d say the best player is probably Louis Rees-Zammit from college. He’s obviously switched to the NFL now, but I’d say Louis or Tommy Freeman, who’s now playing for England—both are pretty exceptional.

PRFC: At just 23, you’re very much at the start of your career. What are your aspirations for the next few years?

TM: My aspirations are to try and get promoted to the Premiership with Coventry. I think everyone aspires to play for their country, so that would be another goal—but that’s a while away yet, haha.

PRFC: You obviously played your international rugby at youth level in an England shirt. With a Welsh father, who would you play for if they both came knocking on your door in the future?

TM: Ahhh, I think my dad would kill me if I said England, honestly! So I’d have to go with Wales—just in case he sees this.

PRFC: There are young players here at Petersfield who dream of being in your position. What advice would you give to those aspiring rugby stars?

TM: Keep working on your basics, listen to all the points your coaches give you, and take that forward. Also, play as many sports as possible—all sports are transferable!

PRFC: Having visited Penns Place on many occasions since turning professional, how do you feel about the direction the club has taken in recent years?

TM: Yeah, I always come back to watch the boys, and I can see the club is going in a great direction. You can see that from how the 1st XV are doing as they climb the leagues. The gym is always improving, and so is the clubhouse, and that’s all down to the special people who push the club forward.

PRFC: It’s great to see your older brother Will starring for the men in red and green, winning our 23/24 Men’s Player of the Season. Have you got a message for him and the boys heading out onto the pitch on Saturday?

TM: Will loves it—he’s always sending me clips from the games, and we’re always talking about rugby. For him, my message is to enjoy it because when he enjoys it, he plays his best rugby.

PRFC: And finally, is there potential for a Tommy Mathews return at the end of your career?

TM: Yes, I’d definitely say there’s a return on the cards. I think it’d be pretty cool to come back and play alongside my brother as well.

PRFC: Thank you very much for your time, Tommy! Good luck with the rest of the season—we’ll be watching you every step of the way!

TM: Thank you guys, see you soon!

Tommy starts at fly half for Coventry tomorrow as they face 8th place Ampthill on the road! We wish him the best of luck with the season and we look forward to seeing him back at Penns Place soon!