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North American rugby is mourning the loss of Bill Webb. The founder and President of the Toronto Arrows has died at the age of 59 after an illness. He is survived by wife Agnes and his two sons, James and Stephen, both of whom are current Canadian age-grade representatives.
As a player Webb captained Laurier University and played at the amateur level for Wasps in England before a knee injury ended his career. He stayed involved in the sport as a coach but it was as a builder where he would make his greatest mark.
A partner at Waypoint Investment, Webb served as a member of Rugby Canada’s Board of Directors from 2016 to 2022 with a focus on fundraising initiatives. He was the driving force and lead investor behind the Arrows as they became full members of Major League Rugby in 2019. More recently he was an advisor on the Toronto Inner-City Rugby Foundation’s Captain’s Council.
The Arrows released a statement that reads, in part:
“Simply put, there would be no ‘Toronto Arrows’ without Bill Webb. We are profoundly grateful to him for the opportunities he provided, the strength of character he showed, and for demonstrating that we should never be afraid to follow our dreams.
“Bill truly was a great man. He was wise, passionate, generous, personable and friendly. A proud Canadian, he cared deeply about the Arrows organization, the team’s fans and his home city of Toronto. More importantly, he was a gentleman, a family man and a friend to so many.
“He treated the players and staff who worked for the team like family. He was proud to have helped bring professional rugby to Toronto and Canada, and fiercely believed in rugby as a tool for social good.
“The Webb Family has conveyed that it is Bill’s wish that the Arrows will continue to flourish and contribute to rugby in Canada, and the entire organization will work to honour that wish and continue Bill’s indelible legacy.”
