Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team Head Coach Kevin Rouet extended until 2025

April 14, 2023 (Langford, BC) – Rugby Canada is pleased to announce that Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team Head Coach, Kevin Rouet, has signed a contract extension that will keep Rouet at the helm of the program until the end of the 2025 Rugby World Cup cycle.

Rouet spent three years as the assistant coach of Canada’s senior women’s program before being named head coach in March of 2022. In the short period of time leading up to the 2021 Rugby World Cup that was played in 2022, Rouet helped push Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team up to third in the World Rugby rankings, winning four out of five matches in preparation for the World Cup in New Zealand.

Canada defeated the United States and Australia in the 2022 Pacific Four Series before recording wins over Italy and Wales that summer on home soil before departing for New Zealand.

“We are pleased to agree terms with Kevin to be the head coach of Canada’s national team through the RWC 2025,” said Rugby Canada CEO, Nathan Bombrys. “Under his leadership, our team inspired the nation at the RWC last autumn, and they’ve picked up where they left off with excellent wins over South Africa and then USA in the PAC 4. Away from the international windows, Kevin remains actively engaged with our players, visiting them at their clubs in Europe, or engaging with their clubs and university programs across Canada.  He has also provided coaching support to our Canada 7s teams.  He has a genuine desire to see our Canadian players develop and improve across all our programs.” 

Canada won four-straight matches to begin last year’s Rugby World Cup including wins over Japan, Italy and a pair over the United States. Canada’s overall performance in New Zealand was highlighted by a thrilling semi-final match against the top-ranked team in the world coming into the tournament, England, and an appearance in the bronze medal game against France.

“I am very proud of what the team has been able to accomplish recently and look forward to having the opportunity to work with this group of world-class players and staff as we begin another World Cup journey together,” said Rouet. “As a program, we have so much to be proud of over the past year and have a lot to be excited about when it comes to the bright future ahead. There is work to be done and areas in which we can improve but I am excited and honored to apart of this team of incredible people as we build towards 2025.”

While an assistant coach of Canada’s Women’s 15s program, Kevin was also the Head Coach of the Laval University Women’s 15s team in Quebec from 2017 to 2022. The Rouge et Or won their first national title in 2019 since their inception in 2005. Rouet also served as the Head Coach of the Quebec Senior Women’s 15s Team from 2016 to 2019, guiding the program to national championships in 2016, 2017 and 2019. At the club level, Kevin was the Head Coach of Club de Rugby de Quebec from 2010-2020 where the club won a total of six senior women provincial titles.

Rouet also served as an assistant coach with Stade Bordelais in France during the 2021-2022 season.

Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team defeated the United States by a score of 50-17 in their first game of the 2023 Pacific Four Series. The team will be back in action this July in Canada for the third and fourth rounds of the competition with matches against New Zealand and Australia. Dates and location will be announced on Monday April 17, 2023.