Stephen Aboud Returns to Italy as High Performance Manager: Rugby Canada States Reason as “Closer to Family”
File this under more Rugby Canada mismanagement and poor decisions. After two years of wasting time in Canada and no doubt enjoying the beauty of Vancouver Island, the holiday has ended and Stephen Aboud has returned to Italy to take up the High Performance role there. Rugby Canada and former board members continue with the charade of well wishes, not wanting to own up to the fact their poor decisions have put Canada two years behind in implementing an effective high performance strategy.
Aboud’s claim to fame while here was hiring Australian, Steve Meehan, as the new men’s XVs coach. Last we heard about Meehan was that he was on walkabout on the Sunshine Coast of Australia, Meehan or Rugby Canada haven’t provided any updates on when he’ll actually be on the ground in Canada and getting stuck in to the task of putting together a competitive men’s XVs squad.
The Rugby Canada press release didn’t even have the honesty to mention Aboud’s return to Italy, just saying he was leaving “in order to be closer to his family”. Rugby Canada are broken at the top, the American CEO Nathan Bombrys has to own these poor decisions, the Board and previous Board members have to own their poor decision in hiring Bombrys. The pertinent question now is do we have to pay a 25% tariff when shipping Bombrys back to the USA?
It’s time for some transparency and accountability from Rugby Canada.
High Performance Director Stephen Aboud has made the decision to leave Rugby Canada at the conclusion of his two-year term in May in order to be closer to his family.
“I have had the privilege of meeting and working with some of the most wonderfully talented, competent and determined people during my time with Rugby Canada,” said Aboud. “I believe the quality and character of the staff and players will ensure our systems and pathways will continue to improve and see many future successes. My sincere thanks to all my colleagues who continue to support our coaches and players and make the impossible, possible.”
“Under Steve’s leadership, we’ve restarted and aligned our age grade programs, recruited a new head coach to rebuild our men’s program, and seen our women’s teams win Olympic silver and climb to number two in the world rankings,” said Nathan Bombrys, Rugby Canada CEO. “He has been a significant influence on embedding our One Squad philosophy across our national programs, and we know that he will remain a friend to Rugby Canada for years to come. We wish Steve and his family all the best in their next chapter and thank him for his contributions to rugby in Canada.”
Work has begun on the succession process, and further information will be released on the Rugby Canada website when available.
The Irish coach returns to Italy after two years of experience with Rugby Canada
Stephen Aboud, the Irish coach who from 2016 to 2022 held the role of head of technical direction of player and coach training at the Italian Rugby Federation, will return to collaborate with FIR starting from July 1, 2025 with the role of High Performance Manager.
In his previous six years at the Federation, Aboud – now 62 years old – had overseen the development of the high-level youth pathway, helping to direct and optimize the strategic direction of the Permanent Training Centers and the National Academy, before moving to British Columbia with the role of Director of High Performance for Rugby Canada, the Canadian Federation.
The appointment of Aboud as High Performance Manager was ratified, upon proposal of the Technical Direction, during the Federal Council on Friday 7 February in Rome and will lead the technician, DT of the Irish Federation for seven years, to develop the FIR High Performance program in the short, medium and long term together with the Sports Direction.
Among Aboud’s responsibilities, always in collaboration with the Sports Management and the Technical Commissioner of the National Team, are the development of individual development plans for players of national interest and elite athletes already included in the senior high-performance context, the planning of player transition paths and active participation in the definition of professional profiles to be involved in the FIR High Performance path for the purposes of athlete training.
Daniele Pacini, Technical Director of the Italian Rugby Federation, said: “ Stephen played a strategic role, during his previous career within the Federation, in consolidating the culture and processes of high performance, the fruits of which are now evident to the entire Italian and international rugby scene. With high performance rugby preparing to enter a new phase of its history from 2026, being able to count on Stephen’s skills and ability to share a vision and inspire others to apply it in a concrete way is a great opportunity for us to develop a high performance project that will allow us to keep Italian rugby at the top of the world game”.
Stephen Aboud, FIR’s new High Performance Manager from 1 July 2025, commented: “ I have wonderful friendships and memories of the years spent in Italy and of the processes we have built to direct Italian high performance rugby towards a competitive and sustainable model. I am happy to be able to return to work with the Italian technical structure: passion and competence in FIR are the basis of every day’s work and I am sure that, all together, we will be able to build a performance model capable of making each individual component of the project express their maximum potential”.
Is it correct that Aboud ‘restarted and aligned the age grade programmes.’ I have not seen any men’s age grade games.