Corker to captain London Welsh

London Welsh have confirmed that Matt Corker will captain the Exiles for the 2015/16 season.

The vastly experienced Corker, a Championship winner with Welsh in both 2012 and 2014, has played 225 times in nine seasons with the club.

He is one of 13 players to have played a century of matches for London Welsh, and leads the way with 176.

The past two seasons have seen Corker take on the role of club captain with the now retired Tom May operating as team captain and he will now step up to take on the sole captain's role.

Corker made his debut for the Exiles in 2007, when on loan from Wasps and he made the move permanent in 2007/8.

Since then, he has been ever-present in their second row and will now combine the captaincy role with being the club's lineout coach.

"I would like to thank Rowland [Phillips] and his coaching team for giving me the opportunity to continue as captain in such an important season for the club," Corker said.

"Being captain of London Welsh is something that I am immensely proud of and I aim to lead the team honestly and with a renewed drive for success.
 
"London Welsh is a very special club and despite coming off the back of such a tough year I have the upmost confidence in the squad’s commitment to our Championship campaign."
 
London Welsh head coach Rowland Phillips said: "Matt is hugely respected by players, coaches and supporters alike at London Welsh. He leads by example on the pitch and is a model professional off it.
 
"Matt has given tremendous service to London Welsh over the past eight seasons, he understands the club and its history, and was therefore the ideal candidate to captain the side as the club prepares to make its return to its spiritual home of Old Deer Park."