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Former Canada Men’s Sevens coach Damian McGrath has landed in Germany. The 61-year-old has signed a five-year deal that will see him leading the country’s Men’s program through 2024. It’s the third national side he been in charge of. McGrath was Head Coach of Samoa prior to Canada, and before that an Assistant Coach with England.
An immensely popular figure in Canada during his tenure, McGrath led the side to their first ever World Series tournament victory at Singapore in 2017. A player strike that wiped out the preseason was followed by numerous key injuries during the 2018-19 campaign which saw the team struggle, and Rugby Canada opted to release McGrath earlier this year in a controversial decision.
McGrath had led Samoa to the Paris title in 2016 but was dismissed by the Samoan Union after failing to win the Olympic qualifier, a move also widely branded as political. A wrongful dismissal lawsuit was brought against the SRU by McGrath that is still to be resolved. In the meantime a similar lawsuit, by former national coach Dickie Tafua, has also been levied against the Samoa Union.
Germany has made strides with their Men’s program – nicknamed the ‘Wolfpack’ – in recent years under former South Africa international Vuyo Zanqa, who has since joined the Southern Kings as an Assistant Coach. McGrath’s targets will be first to qualify as a core team for the first time, and second to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
