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Rugby Canada has cut Sandro Fiorino as Head Coach of Canada’s National Women’s XV’s team. The organization has offered little explanation, though the decision comes in the midst of a High Performance review that was first announced last May and was initially meant to be completed in November of 2021. As of yet no findings of the review have been made public.
Fiorino remains contracted to Rugby Canada through the end of the month when his 11-year stay with the organization will officially come to a close. He had also been at the helm of a national development academy program based in Ontario that has now been cut due to reduced funding.
Promoted to Head Coach is Kévin Rouet, who served as Defense Coach under Fiorino since 2018. During that time he has also been Head Coach of the Laval University and Québec Provincial Women’s teams, and Backs Coach for French club Stade Bordelais.
The change comes just seven months out from the Rugby World Cup, which will take place in New Zealand starting in October. Fiorino is not the only coach who has departed the team, with Jack Hanratty’s interim appointment as Head Coach of the Senior Women’s Sevens team extended last month. Hanratty had also been an Assistant Coach for the Women’s XVs team.
Rouet’s initial contract will run through this year’s World Cup, and he will have to determine his support staff for the tournament by next month. Domestic selection camps are already underway and Rouet will meet with overseas players this week.
Meanwhile the search for a new Rugby Canada CEO continues with Jamie Levchuk currently filling the position in an interim capacity. Allen Vansen departed the organization at the end of January after six years in charge. Levchuk has worked for Rugby Canada since 2018 and was previously Managing Director of the World Sevens Series events in Langford and Vancouver.
