Rugby Canada announces management staff for La Vila International Rugby Cup

Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team Head Coach Kingsley Jones will be joined by coaches Rob Howley, John McFarland, and Hubert Buydens this month for the La Vila International Rugby Cup in Villajoyosa, Spain.

Former Canadian prop Hubert Buydens will support Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team as an Assistant Coach specializing in the scrum, with Dave Butcher remaining in Canada to lead Queen’s University at the Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship.

An Assistant Coach with the Pacific Pride Academy and Trinity Western University, Buydens earned his first coaching appointment with the senior men’s national team last November and was an Assistant Coach with Canada’s U18 Men’s Rugby Team this past summer.

John McFarland continues as an Assistant Coach specializing in defence, having started working with Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team last fall.

La Vila International Rugby Cup will mark the completion of Rob Howley’s three-year term as Senior Assistant Coach. Rugby Canada wishes to thank Howley for his contributions to Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team, with his departure at the end of November allowing Howley to consider future opportunities closer to home and Rugby Canada to continue evaluating and building its coaching staff.

"I would like to extend my thanks to Rugby Canada and World Rugby for my time spent coaching the national team over the last three years,” said Howley. “A special thanks to Kingsley Jones for his support throughout that time, as well as my gratitude to all the players and coaches I worked with at both Rugby Canada and the Toronto Arrows, particularly whilst dealing with the challenging times of Covid. I wish them all the best for their future rugby journeys, and I have no doubt our paths will cross in the not-too-distant future. I wish to thank the Webb family, who became my second family while based in Toronto, and also the wider Arrows community for their support."

“This is a highly experienced coaching group, and I am greatly looking forward to getting stuck in with them in Spain and working together to help the boys put forward strong performances,” said Jones. “I would also like to thank Rob for all that he has given to rugby in Canada through his work with both the national team and the Toronto Arrows. He has continually brought dedication, professionalism, and wisdom to our program, and we have been very fortunate to have had his support over the last three years.”

“On behalf of Rugby Canada, I would like to thank Rob for his many contributions to our men’s rugby program,” said Nathan Bombrys, Rugby Canada CEO. “We wish all our coaches, staff and players the best of luck on this tour and look forward to cheering them on next Saturday in their first match against Spain.”

Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team will also be supported in Spain by Strength and Conditioning Coach Michael Deasy, Analyst Gwern James, Dr. Billy Longland, and therapists Kristie Mueller and Jordan Monks. Neil MacDougall is on secondment from the Toronto Arrows to serve as Team Manager.