Rob Howley signs up for Canada’s Rugby World Cup campaign

Rugby Canada have announced the hiring of Rob Howley as assistant coach for Canada Men’s team.

It is Howley’s first step back into coaching after being sent home from the Wales camp on the eve of last year’s Rugby World Cup, and was subsequently banned for 18 months from rugby activity.

This was in response to the former Wales attack coach placing 1,163 bets on sport over a 45-month period.

Now, Howley joins the Canada set-up ran by Kingsley Jones and will have his duties as an assistant coach coincide with consultancy work at MLR side Toronto Arrows for the 2021.

“I am absolutely delighted to be joining Rugby Canada and begin working alongside Kingsley Jones and the other Canadian coaches,” said Howley.

“I’m excited to get to work and help prepare Canada for Rugby World Cup qualification. I am also looking forward to my first season in MLR with the Toronto Arrows.

“There is a tremendous opportunity to leverage the synergy of a professional club loaded with domestic players in an emerging league to help support the national team – it is very similar to my past experience coaching in Wales.”

As a coach, Howley has excelled at the highest levels of international rugby and worked alongside some of the top coaches in the world over the last two decades, including Sir Graham Henry, Steve Hansen, Sir Ian McGeechan and Warren Gatland.

Canada head coach Kingsley Jones said: “Rob is one of the most highly regarded coaches in international rugby and I’m ecstatic that he will be joining us at Rugby Canada.

“He’s someone that I’ve known and respected for a long time and the opportunity to have Rob join our program is a huge step forward for Canadian rugby. His experience and expertise will benefit not only our young players but our entire coaching staff.”