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Rugby Canada has confirmed the appointment of Jamie Cudmore as the new Head Coach of the Pacific Pride. The 40-year-old has returned to his home country after spending the last 17 years abroad, 15 in France. His joins from Pro D2 club Aix-en-Provence where he was Director of Rugby for the past year.
The Pride is Canada’s centralized development program that has been revived after a 14-year hibernation. It will see some of the country’s best young talent exposed to a daily training environment and competing as a team in the BC Premier League beginning in September.
Cudmore is himself a graduate of the former Pride program under David Clark, going on to win 43 caps and play in four World Cups during a 15-year career as a professional player. He has previously acted as an assistant under interim Head Coach François Ratier during the 2016 Americas Rugby Championship.
Renowned for his physicality and regarded as an ‘enforcer’ in France, Cudmore has also caught headlines with his ongoing legal challenge against long-time employer Clermont Auvergne regarding his treatment after suffering concussion during the 2015 Champions Cup campaign. He has since been a leading advocate for concussion awareness using his Rugby Safety Network foundation.
In an official release, Cudmore says he is happy to give back after a long spell in Europe.
“I was a Pride player back in 2000/01, and it gave me the experience to go off into the world of professional rugby, so I’m very excited to come home and help grow Canadian rugby after all it’s given me over the years. I look forward to getting to work with this young talent from across Canada, focusing on quality high-speed rugby and building their skill sets to be ready for the next step in their careers.
“There has always been great talent in Canada, and the structure keeps getting better with more kids getting involved at the youth level. With dedicated coaching and strong systems in place, I am confident we can continue to grow our player pool, and see success for our national teams while we help fulfill our individual players’ professional career goals.”
The playing roster is yet to be unveiled but a high-profile crossover athlete confirmed recently is USports football star Ed Ilnicki. Other former internationals are set to aid Cudmore, with Adam Kleeberger and Ray Barkwill among those tipped for specialist roles.
