David Mélé has returned to Leicester Tigers as a pathway coach with special focus on half-back play through the club.

As a scrum-half, Mélé played nearly 50 times for Tigers before returning to play in France during the summer of 2015. After spells with Perpignan, Toulouse and Grenoble, and international recognition with Spain last season, he has announced his retirement as a player.

Now he has returned to Welford Road to work alongside Dave Wilks, Matt Smith and Tom Harrison with the academy squad and with the half-backs at the club.

Tigers head coach Geordan Murphy said: “David will assist the coaching team working with the half-backs at academy, development and senior levels at the club in a similar role to the one performed by Boris Stankovich with the scrum.

“We’ve got a very strong group of players at scrum-half and fly-half, and there is great potential throughout the club in those positions. Like Boris’s work with the scrum, a specialist focus can build the consistency and continuity we are seeking to bring the best out of all of those players.

“David also brings with him a different perspective as someone brought up through French club rugby as well as his experience of the Premiership, and we think he will add a lot to what we already have here in terms of passing on that knowledge to young players.”

A French title winner with Perpignan, Mélé made his Tigers debut in September 2013 and scored eight tries in 44 appearances for the club.