A Tale of Two Committees: Canada’s Women’s Rugby Triumph and Men’s Decline
I analyzed the July rankings for Canadian men and women XVs programs from 2004 to 2025. It tells a tale of two programs.
A Tale of Two Committees: Canada’s Women’s Rugby Triumph and Men’s Decline
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”
There are a number of factors that influenced the separate pathways of the Canadian men’s and women’s programs. We’ll focus on just one in this article, management. 2014 was a key year, it was the year when the men left the top 15 ranking for the foreseeable future and the women won Silver at the World Cup.
The women’s XVs program has seen remarkable success, with a silver medal in 2014, consistent top-four rankings since 2014, and a world ranking of #2 in 2025.
All three recent women’s coaches, Francois Ratier, Sandro Fiorino, Kevin Rouet had extensive Canadian rugby experience, enabling them to navigate resource limitations, develop domestic talent, and foster a cohesive team culture. Their deep ties to clubs, universities, and provincial systems helped them identify and nurture players suited to Canada’s rugby context, contributing to consistent World Cup success and a 2025 podium trajectory.
In contrast, the men’s XVs program has declined significantly, falling from a 1991 Rugby World Cup quarter-final to missing the 2023 World Cup for the first time, with a current world ranking of #25. The recent head coaches, Kieran Crowley, Mark Anscombe, and Kingsley Jones, were appointed without prior experience in Canadian rugby, which hindered their ability to address systemic challenges and build a competitive program.
None of the men’s coaches had Canadian rugby experience before their appointments, relying on international credentials. This likely hindered their ability to navigate Rugby Canada’s underfunded, decentralized system, integrate domestic and overseas players, and build a sustainable program. The men’s team’s decline reflects broader organizational dysfunction.
Women’s Program
Coaching Advantage: Ratier, Fiorino, and Rouet’s extensive Canadian rugby experience (clubs, universities, provincial teams) gave them insight into the domestic talent pool, player development needs, and Rugby Canada’s resource constraints. They built cohesive teams by leveraging local systems (e.g., Quebec’s rugby network, BC’s clubs) and integrating sevens/XVs players.
Management Impact: Their “committees” worked within Rugby Canada’s limitations, focusing on team culture, strategic player selection, and grassroots-to-elite pathways.
Key Example: The 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup silver medal showcased Ratier’s ability to unite a veteran squad with limited resources, beating France 18–16 in the semi-final. Rouet’s 2024 Pacific Four Series win and #2 ranking build on this foundation, using Canada’s rugby ecosystem effectively.
Men’s Program
Coaching Disadvantage: Crowley, Anscombe, and Jones, lacking Canadian rugby experience, struggled to adapt to the program’s structural challenges (e.g., limited domestic competitions, low funding). Their international expertise couldn’t overcome Rugby Canada’s dysfunctional high-performance system.
Management Impact: Their “committees” faced systemic issues, including a lack of high-performance strategy. Crowley’s early success (2011 World Cup qualification) faded, Anscombe’s tenure collapsed, and Jones’ long reign saw a 2023 World Cup miss and a #23 ranking. The absence of local knowledge limited their ability to build sustainable programs.
Key Example: The men’s failure to qualify for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, losing to the USA and Chile in 2021, underscores the disconnect. Jones’ 14–34–0 record and recent losses (e.g., 44–14 to Chile in 2024) reflect a program unable to capitalize on its talent pool, partly due to management’s inability to align with Canada’s rugby context.
A Tale of Two Committees
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”: The women’s program thrives (best of times) with coaches who understand Canada’s rugby landscape, leading to a 2014 silver medal and 2025 podium aspirations. The men’s program languishes (worst of times) under coaches disconnected from the system, culminating in the 2023 World Cup miss.
Sacrifice and Resurrection: The women’s coaches sacrificed personal time to build a program that “resurrected” Canada as a rugby power (#2 ranking). The men’s program, despite coaches’ efforts, couldn’t resurrect past glories (e.g., 1991 quarter-final) due to systemic failures and outsider perspectives.
Duality of Management: The women’s “committee” (coaches, Rugby Canada staff) leveraged local knowledge to maximize limited resources, while the men’s “committee” struggled with misalignment, as external coaches couldn’t bridge Rugby Canada’s gaps.
Conclusion
Local expertise fosters resilience and success (women’s team) while external hires struggle in a weak system (men’s team). Lesson for Rugby Canada’s future and World Rugby investment.