A Look at the Men’s 7s Program 2015-2022: Coaching Changes, COVID & Retirements
A reader sent in a request to put together Damian McGrath’s 7s coaching record in Canada and compare it to the current coach, Henry Paul. We didn’t go down to the match by match results but used a more accessible tournament points record and end of year standings and points.
Damian came in December 2016 to take over as Canada’s 7s coach at the opening tournament of the 2016-17 season in Dubai. The season before Canada had finished in 13th place in a normal 10 tournament season. Damian had an immediate impact, the team finished 5 places higher in 8th place and also won a tournament title for the first time, in Singapore. The team finished the 2017-18 season in 9th place and the 2018-19 season in 11th place. Damian was replaced in May of 2019 before the season ended. It was a political decision by Rugby Canada not one based on team performance or player feedback. You can read more in the May 2019 article we wrote.
Henry Paul came in to finish off the last two tournaments of 2018-19. The 2019-20 season was an abbreviated one, due to COVID, with 6 tournaments played, ending in Vancouver. Canada had a good result in Vancouver and finished the season in 8th place. The 2020-21 season was only a couple of tournaments and the 2021-22 season was the first full season (9 tournaments) with Henry Paul in charge. Canada finished in 14th place.
The loss of Damian was a big blow to the 7s program. COVID also had a big effect on the program and the World Series as a whole and a number of players retired.
Damian went on to coach Germany and now is with the Kenya 7s program as head coach. He was hired in May 2022 near the end of the 2021-22 season. Kenya finished 12th at the World Cup 7s, Canada finished 13th. In the final tournament of the 2022 series in LA, Kenya finished 6th, Canada finished 15th/16th.
The 2022-23 season kicks off in November (4-6) in Hong Kong. The pools haven’t been announced yet, and there still may be a COVID cloud hanging over the Hong Kong event with China’s strict COVID regulations in place.
TIMELINE
2015-16 Series (Pre-Damian)
13th Canada 3 5 5 8 2 8 2 1 1 5 40 points
December 2016 Dubai – Damian Hired
2016-17
8th Canada 3 3 15 3 10 10 10 22 5 17 98 points
2017-18
9th Canada 5 15 3 5 7 2 7 7 10 15 76 points
2018-19
11th Canada 5 5 10 5 3 7 1 5 10 8 59 points
May 2019 – Damian Released
2019-20
8th Canada 7 6 13 7 7 17 57 points
2021-22
14th Canada 6 5 10 2 1 7 1 3 1 36 points 34 adjusted points (drop 2 worst results)