Toronto Wolfpack waste little time appointing Brian McDermott coach
One day after parting ways with Paul Rowley, the Toronto Wolfpack signed former Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McDermott.
McDermott, a 48-year Englishman, is a decorated coach who helped fill Leeds’ trophy case over eight years. But he was fired in July with the injury-plagued Rhinos, the reigning Super League champions, mired in a seven-game losing streak and fighting to maintain their place in the top-flight.
On Saturday, the transatlantic rugby league club said Rowley’s decision to leave was mutual. The speed in appointing his successor suggests that there may be more to the story, however.
Rowley, a former England hooker, led Toronto to a 49-8-2 competitive record over two seasons — taking a blank piece of paper and helping assemble a team that came within one win of back-to-back promotions.