Rugby Canada fires sevens coach Damian McGrath, names Henry Paul interim coach
A sevens season that started in turmoil will end in uncertainty and a search for a new coach after Rugby Canada fired Damian McGrath on Friday.
The Canadian men currently stand 12th in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series with two tournaments remaining. The season followed a labour dispute between the players and Rugby Canada that cost the team two months of its pre-season.
An uneasy peace followed but the players are continuing their bid for union certification, something Rugby Canada opposes although it says it is open to dealing with a less formal players’ association.
Henry Paul, an assistant coach with the Canadian men’s 15s team and former England sevens player, has been named interim sevens coach. He will lead the team at a North American Olympic qualifying tournament in July in the Cayman Islands with a permanent coach to be named later.