Rugby Canada is looking for a new men's coach after seven years with Kingsley Jones at the helm.
Canada is currently ranked 23rd in the world rankings, sandwiched between Hong Kong and the Netherlands. And losses have been all too common of late with the Canadian men beaten last month by No. 20 Romania (35-27) and No. 21 Chile (44-14), with both games in Bucharest.
That made five straight defeats for the men, who have won just two of their last 12 tests. But Jones used some of the more recent tests to debut young players, with Rugby Canada noting he leaves behind a squad with an average age of 24.
"With the 2024 season for Canada’s men’s rugby team now concluded, and as work continues towards qualification for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, Rugby Canada and head coach Kingsley Jones recognize the need to set Canada’s men's rugby team in a new direction and have mutually agreed to part ways," Rugby Canada said in a statement Wednesday.
Jones, whose record at the Canadian helm is 14-34-0 in international test play and 17-38-0 including non-test matches, had signed a two-year contract extension in October 2023.
“It has been an honour, and a great experience for myself and my family, to be with Rugby Canada over the last seven years,” Jones said in a Rugby Canada statement. “The discipline, hard work and professionalism of the great people in this program are second to none, and I would like to thank the players and the staff for their commitment and support.”
In many ways, the news is not that Jones is leaving but that he lasted this long at a governing body that has spent the last few years trying to right the ship in a variety of ways.
During his tenure, Rugby Canada has undergone several changes in leadership and philosophy.
Sevens and 15s players, initially kept apart so they could focus on their own game, are now working in one pool.
Jones has had to deal with financial restraints, the pandemic and the bulk of his talent playing in the still-nascent Major League Rugby. The demise of the MLR's Toronto Arrows, which housed numerous Canadian internationals, in November 2023 did not help.
He has also had to work with a limited international schedule largely dependent on World Rugby.
In its statement, Rugby Canada paid tribute to Jones for helping reboot the Pacific Pride development academy, assisting the development of players-turned-coaches like Sean White, Phil Mack and Hubert Buydens and developing depth in the program.
Rugby Canada noted that during Jones' tenure more than 100 Canadian players have been contracted to MLR teams and 12 to European development academies and Southern Hemisphere provincial squads. More than 50 Pacific Pride and sevens program players have graduated to the senior side.
But apparently that was not enough for him to stay.
“On behalf of Rugby Canada, I would like to thank Kingsley for his dedication and contributions to rugby in Canada over the last seven years,” CEO Nathan Bombrys said in a statement. “We wish him and his family all the best in this next chapter.”
In parting ways with Jones, Rugby Canada can now look to a coach to spearhead qualifying for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, initially via the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup. Rugby Canada says it has begun work on a succession plan.
Jones, a former flanker who won 10 caps for Wales between 1996 and 1998 and captained his country once, took over the Canadian men in September 2017.
He succeeded New Zealand's Mark Anscombe, who was fired that August after the then-24th-ranked Canadians lost to the 17th-ranked United States in its first crack at qualifying for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Anscombe's test record as coach was 2-11-1.
Under Jones, the Canadians eventually made it to that World Cup in Japan where they went winless. But Canada failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup, missing out on the sport's showcase for the first time after losing two-legged qualifying series to the U.S. (59-50 on aggregate) and Chile (54-46 on aggregate) in September and October 2021, respectively.
He joined Canada from the Welsh Rugby Union where he was charged with identifying and recruiting talent to the pro game in Wales. Jones coached Russia from 2011 to 2014.
At club level, he coached the Newport Gwent Dragons in Wales and the Sale Sharks and Doncaster in England. He was also an assistant coach with London Welsh. During Jones' tenure, Sale won the Premiership title and the European Challenge Cup.
Jones captained virtually every team he played for and acquired coaching badges as he played.
Jones comes from a rugby family. Sons Rhys and Dorian both played rugby under him at Newport.
His late father, Phil Kingsley Jones, coached Tonga as well as club sides in New Zealand and managed the late All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu.
COMMENTS
When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.