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USA Rugby has found their successor to Mike Friday. Former England Sevens and Great Britain coach Simon Amor takes over the Men’s Eagles Sevens program. A press release indicates the 45-year-old will relocate to California near the Eagles home base in Chula Vista, with Amor set to lead the side through the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Friday stepped down following the Paris Olympics after a decade in charge. He notably coached the England Sevens side for much of Amor’s time playing with the squad, during which time the latter was recognized as World Rugby (then IRB) Sevens Player of the Year. Amor was England captain during Friday’s tenure as Head Coach.
After retiring as a player in 2010, Amor coached London Scottish until taking over the England Men’s Sevens side in 2013. He would also lead Great Britain to a Silver Medal at the Rio Olympics. Amor then returned to the XV-a-side game in 2020, acting as Attack Coach under Eddie Jones for England’s Six Nations title-winning campaign that year.
In 2021 Amor was appointed Head Coach of the Hong Kong national side but it was a short-lived assignment, with Japan employing his services with the Men’s side that November through the end of the Paris Olympics. As Amor leaves Japan to join the Eagles, Phil Greening will move in the opposite direction. Greening has been named Head Coach of Japan after acting as Friday’s top assistant for the Eagles.
