Crowley has resigned after signing a two-year contract extension with Rugby sa国际传媒 on Dec. 23 that would have carried the national side through the qualifying round in August of 2017, for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
The last thing Gareth Rees, manager of national team programs, expected this week was to have Crowley walk into the Rugby sa国际传媒 Centre of Excellence offices next to Westhills Stadium to tender his resignation. Crowley is leaving to accept an offer to coach the Italian club Benetton Treviso of the Guinness Pro 12 League.
鈥淚 was shocked,鈥� admitted Rees.
鈥淏ut this is pro rugby and coaches move on. This was obviously not what I was thinking about coming into work [Tuesday] morning. But it鈥檚 now Wednesday, so let鈥檚 get on with it.鈥�
That has already begun. Francois Ratier, the French native who guided sa国际传媒 to the 2014 women鈥檚 World Cup championship game, has been named interim Canadian men鈥檚 coach for the 2016 Americas Championship, beginning when Uruguay visits Langford on Feb. 6 to take on world No. 19 sa国际传媒 at Westhills Stadium. sa国际传媒 will host Brazil at Westhills on Feb. 20.
Rees said Ratier will remain Canadian women鈥檚 coach through to the 2018 World Cup and that a 鈥済lobal search鈥� has commenced to find Crowley鈥檚 permanent replacement as Canadian men鈥檚 head coach.
Crowley, a Kiwi who won the World Cup in 1987 as a player with the New Zealand All Blacks, was hired by Rugby sa国际传媒 in 2008 and resides in Mill Bay. His three children are Canadian citizens.
鈥淚t was a tough decision to make and I looked at a lot of factors and weighed everything up,鈥� said Crowley, on Wednesday.
Under Crowley, sa国际传媒 was 24-32-1 in Tests and lost all four games at the 2015 World Cup but it earned some strong reviews as the games against Italy and Romania could have gone either way while those against world powers Ireland and France were competitive until the latter stages. Crowley also coached sa国际传媒 at the 2011 World Cup in his native New Zealand, where the Canadian players recorded a win and a tie and became a part of tournament folklore with their flowing facial hair that earned them the nickname Beardos.
鈥淲e got as high as No. 11 in the world but have slipped a bit to 19 because of recent results. We have progressed but other [second-tier] nations have progressed just as fast.鈥�
Rees concurred.
鈥淲e played at the highest level there is, and came within a whisper of upsetting two of the top teams in the world in the 2015 World Cup,鈥� said Rees.
鈥淜ieran was respected by the players and worked very hard and brought integrity to a Canadian national program.鈥�
Crowley鈥檚 contract was re-upped after an extensive review of the 2015 World Cup performance by Rugby sa国际传媒.
鈥淚t was a lengthy process, after which we planned to go ahead with Kieran, but we also had plans if we hadn鈥檛, so we are prepared for this,鈥� said Rees, who came out of SMUS and UVic to play in four World Cups and is the only rugby player enshrined in sa国际传媒鈥檚 Sports Hall of Fame.
Rees was asked if hiring a Canadian head coach is a priority.
鈥淭here has been discussion of having a Canadian coach involved, but we have to have the best coach available for our players,鈥� Rees responded.
