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Three prominent Canadian internationals have accepted new coaching roles to begin in the new year. Hubert Buydens, Danny Baugh, and Phil Mack will take the next steps in their careers with new positions in Canada, Wales, and the USA respectively.
Former Cardiff flanker Baugh will leave English Premiership club Wasps at the end of the current season to take up a Strength & Conditioning job with the Dragons in Wales. The 45-year-old has been in-demand as a coach since retiring as a player in 2005. He has previously worked in the Guinness Pro Championship with Cardiff Blues and joined the Wales international setup in 2011, moving to Wasps in 2014.
Buydens, 37, played in his third World Cup in Japan. He has left the NOLA Gold after two seasons of Major League Rugby and will now act as Assistant Coach with the revamped Trinity Western Spartans university program under Director of Rugby Andy Evans. The long-time Canada prop will focus on both the forwards and defense with the men’s side, and as a set piece specialist with the women’s side.
Coaching is not new for Mack, notably acting as a player-coach with the BC Bears in the Canadian Rugby Championship and Seattle Seawolves in MLR. Like Buydens, the 34-year-old scrumhalf has not confirmed his retirement as a player but will take on a full-time coaching position as an assistant for Kees Lensing at the Seawolves in 2020. Mack played in his second World Cup this fall.
