Canada mourns loss of Cannon

The rugby world today mourns the loss of former Canadian international centre John Cannon, who passed away suddenly yesterday morning at the age of just 35 from a suspected heart attack. The Abbotsford, British Columbia, native graduated through the now-defunct CCSD (Pacific Pride) development program under the guidance of coach David Clark to earn his first test cap at the age of just 20, against the US Eagles in May 2001. He would go on to win 31 caps in all, 29 of those starts, and represented Canada at the 2003 World Cup in Australia.

Cannon is best remembered as a big, physical midfielder whose tackles often left opponents gasping for air. He also represented his country at 7s before moving to England where he played professionally for Rotherham, Coventry, and finally Doncaster, where he was twice named to the National One (now RFU Championship) Dream Team, and described by Rugby World magazine as “the best centre outside the Premiership in England.”

Sadly injuries took their toll and kept him from making any further test appearances after 2005, with concussion ultimately leading him to retire in 2007. Despite his relatively short four-year international career, only Ciaran Hearn and Steve Gray have started more matches at centre for Canada. After returning to Abbotsford in 2008, he turned his hand to coaching, leading the club alongside fellow Canadian international Harry Toews. In 2011 he was inducted into the Abbotsford Sports Hall of Fame.