Rugby Canada Announces 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients
Annual Awards
Rugby Canada is pleased to announce the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award recipients. Three individuals will have their contributions to rugby in Canada celebrated as they receive a Lifetime Achievement Award.
July 11, 2024 (Langford, BC) - Rugby Canada’s Lifetime Achievement Award is a special Award that is given to individuals who have made outstanding and life-long contributions to rugby in Canada at the National Age Grade, Provincial, Regional, School and / or club levels of the game.
Rugby Canada is pleased to announce that they will award their Lifetime Achievement Award to three (3) such Canadian rugby icons in 2024, Jay Johnston, Tim Murdy & Ed Carty who have served the game so well. “This year’s recipients have served rugby in Canada with honour and excellence,” said Tim Powers, Chair of Rugby Canada's Lifetime Achievement Project Team. “Their skills as elite leaders and administrators in the game has made them valued contributors to the growth of rugby in Canada.
The inductees will be celebrated at the following events:
- Jay Johnston at Canada v Romania Men’s international match being held at TD Place Stadium in Ottawa on July 12, 2024
- Tim Murdy at Canada v Japan Men’s international match being held at BC Place in Vancouver on August 25, 2024
- Ed Carty will be recognized at a local fixture in Nova Scotia TBD
Below, please see a brief overview of the award recipients’ contributions to rugby in Canada. To learn more about each honouree, click on the corresponding links.
Rugby Canada congratulates Jay, Tim and Ed and thanks them for their dedication and commitment to our game.
JAY JOHNSTON
Jay Johnston’s contribution/involvement to the game of rugby in Canada and Ontario spans over four (4) decades, primarily in the governance and financial stewardship of the game.
Since the mid 70’s Jay has played a significant role as a player, referee and administrator with his local Referees Society and Rugby Park (Twin Elm) and as a Board of Director of Rugby Canada.
Jay has taken on crucial leadership roles at almost every level of rugby in Ontario and Canada. Over his 20-year tenure as Treasurer and Treasurer Emeritus for Rugby Canada, Jay helped grow the organization’s financial position ten-fold, which directly supported investment into the game in Canada.
Furthermore, his financial acumen, business management skills, clear-headedness, integrity and unwavering determination has helped rugby prosper and grow across Canada.
In 2023 Jay was inducted into the Rugby Ontario Hall of Fame in recognition of his work over 45 years.
TIM MURDY
There could be no more fitting award to recognize this man’s contributions to rugby in Canada. Over the past 30 years, Tim has been a coach, assistant coach and selector for numerous national age grade teams with a track record of success. In addition to further work with the National Senior Men’s team, he has served in an administrative capacity and led the drafting of the current Memorandum of Understanding that formalizes the valued partnership between Rugby Canada and Shawnigan Lake School.
Tim’s understanding of development and mentorship of younger players is possibly his greatest coaching legacy. His school and club sides have produced an incredible number of elite level players, including 122 international age-grade players and 31 Senior Men’s players for Canada.
ED CARTY
Ed Carty, a native of Hamilton, Scotland and graduate of Glasgow University, joined St FX Rugby Club in Nova Scotia at its modern inception in 1967. Over the next 50+ years, he assumed a role with the club as a player/coach as well as administrator, financier,
advocate, mentor, friend and mainstay for the program.
In addition, for the past 40 years he has played a major leadership role in the growth and development of the governing body, Rugby Nova Scotia. His name is synonymous with rugby in Nova Scotia and at St. FX in particular. His dedication, passion and devotion to the game have been limitless.