COVENTRY Rugby have signed Cornish Pirates prop Matt Johnson on a multi-year deal.
Johnson returns to Butts Park Arena following an eight-game loan spell with the club in 2021/22 which included helping Cov finish as runners-up of the RFU Cup competition.
The 26-year-old former Exeter tighthead made 46 appearances for the Pirates and featured off the bench against Cov in the Championship in early May.
Johnson said: “I missed the semi-final and final of the cup through injury but really enjoyed my loan spell at Coventry.
“At that time it felt like something was changing at the club and they were at the start of an upward trajectory.
“Cov play an exciting brand of rugby, I know the coaches well and also some of the players. It has always felt like a place where I have unfinished business and somewhere that I would really enjoy being involved on a full-time basis.
“I can also see they’re doing loads in the city and the community and I know from playing there that their support is really big and noisy so it seems a good time to return.”
Cov head coach, Alex Rae, added: “It’s brilliant to welcome Johno back, he’s a great lad and is really maturing into a good tighthead.
“Like many of the other lads we still don’t know how good Johno can become, so signing an established championship prop who can still get better is hugely appealing.”
Prior to moving to Exeter for university, the prop played for junior club Upminster in East London.
