CIRENCESTER RFC head coach Kevin Powderly is stepping down from the role due to commitments outside of rugby.

Powderly has spent 25 years coaching the game for various clubs and youth teams including Gloucester, England Students and the Great Britain Sevens team.

With numerous family commitments abroad towards the end of the year that would make him unavailable to the club for weeks at a time, he felt it was time to take a step away and focus on his passions elsewhere.

Having recently come first out of more than 300 competitors in The Great Outdoors Challenge, a 340km hike across Scotland, he is looking to pursue further similar tests.

“I do a lot of hiking and climbing and I would like to take part in other challenges while, at 57, my fitness levels and legs are still strong,” he said.

“A lot of these challenges on my bucket list take place in the winter months so in 2016 I will focus my time on these events.”

While Powderly is taking a break from rugby for the time being, he insists he will not be turning his back on the sport long term.

“I’ve had some inquiries about going to places and developing their rugby,” he explained.

“So I’ll keep my hand in; I’ve got a lot of stuff I can pass on.”

With young players coming through for Cirencester, Powderly believes the future is bright for the club and paid tribute to the work Tim Thompson is doing as chairman.

“They’ve got some very decent players,” he said. “And Tim Thompson is an excellent chairman; he does a lot behind the scenes. He organised a great tour to Warsaw, which the players enjoyed.

“I would like to wish Tim and all the players all the success in the future with Cirencester.

“It is a great community club and I will be dropping in occasionally to watch the odd game.”