
According to the Sport Information Resource Centre of Canada on Saturday, Steve Meehan has been named the new head coach of the Canadian men’s rugby team. Meehan enters a time in Canadian rugby where the program faced recent disappointment. The team failed to qualify for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. It was the first time ever that Canada failed to participate a a Men’s Rugby World Cup. South Africa was the eventual champion as they beat New Zealand 12-11 in the final.
Meehan is from Queensland, Australia, and this is the second time he has been hired for a rugby coaching job in Canada. Meehan was named the head coach of the Toronto Arrows of Major League Rugby on October 30, 2023. However, on November 27, 2023, it was announced that the Arrows would not play the 2024 season because of financial issues.
Over the last 22 years, Meehan has coached professionally for club teams in France, England, Australia, and Japan. While the Canadian men’s program is struggling at this time, it was a great year for the Canadian women’s rugby program. At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Canada won the silver medal in women’s rugby sevens after losing 19-12 to New Zealand in the gold medal game. Among the nations Canada beat at the Olympic Games were Fiji, China, France and Australia.