Revealed: Coventry Rugby's new club crest

A new club crest will take pride of place on Coventry Rugby's shirts next season.

The IPA Greene King Championship side's new crest 'honours the long legacy and connections that the club has had with the city of Coventry for over 140 years'.

Existing features remain with an elephant standing upon a rugby ball sporting the club's founding year of 1874, however they have been modernised in design.

The major change is a red and green half-and-half background shield that pays homage to the city’s traditional colours, which date back to at least 1441.

It also includes a phoenix motif to represent Cov's promotion back to the second tier of English rugby in 2018 and ambition to continue rising up the ladder of English club rugby.

“The new crest is part of the next step in our journey as a club,” says Coventry Rugby chairman Jon Sharp.

“We are looking to continue our progression in all areas on and off the field, with more structure in the administration and more investment into the playing and coaching group as we build for the future.

“We’re also proud of our history and view this new crest as being an evolution which takes us closer to our heritage while also setting a marker for the future.”

Designer has deep connections with club

The new crest was designed by Paul Carnall of Flygun Creative. It is a project that is close to his heart, as his father, Peter, wore the Coventry hoops when the club led the way within English rugby.

“I am extremely proud and honoured for my company Flygun Creative to have delivered the new crest for Coventry Rugby,” Carnall commented.

“The opportunity to work with the club is something that is very close to my heart, not just because of me being born in Coventry but also from a personal perspective as my father played for the club between 1964 and 68, a time when they were considered one of the best teams in the British Isles, something he is immensely proud of.

“Coventry Rugby is a family club steeped in history and it has meant so much to me to have been involved in this project. We’re all looking forward to seeing the crest rolled out and Flygun playing our part in the next exciting chapter of this great club.”

Are you a fan of Coventry's new crest?

Does Cov's new crest meet with your approval? Or did you prefer the old one? Let us now in our poll below.

Why are there so many elephant symbols around Coventry?

Coventry City Football Club and Coventry Rugby both have elephants in their logos - as does the badge of HMS Coventry.

There are elephant-topped bollards throughout the city centre, and there's even a statue of one in Broadgate. Most famously of all is the city's elephant-shaped sports centre.

So what has an animal native to Africa and India got to do with a medieval city in the middle of England thousands of miles away?

Some historians believe it was a popular symbol to adopt by our forefathers because the elephant represents strength and piety.

The animal is so strong that he can carry a castle on his back, and in some myths and legends he killed an evil dragon.

But the phrase 'elephant and castle' and its symbol are not unique to Coventry.

There's the area of Southwark and the underground station in London and it's the symbol of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers.