Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
New USA head coach John Mitchell has named his staff for the Americas Rugby Championship, with three former Wasps players added to the coaching roster. Rob Hoadley, Marty Veale, and Phil Greening will join the new-look staff that retains only two from the World Cup, strength & conditioning coach David Williams and analyst Paul Goulding. Sean Lindersmith of Old Aztecs is the new team manager.
Greening is the highest profile of the trio, having won 24 caps for England as a hooker, as well as being selected for the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2001. He also holds the unusual distinction of playing for England at sevens – a rarity for a front row – and enjoyed a notable Premiership career with Gloucester, Sale, and finally Wasps before injury ended his playing career prematurely. He was a player under Mitchell at Sale in the 1998/99 season.
As a coach Greening has worked with the national sevens sides of England, Scotland, and is currently part of the USA Eagles 7s setup under Mike Friday. Greening will act as defense coach in the new arrangement, and will also stand in as interim head coach while Mitchell returns to New Zealand temporarily following the death of his mother.
Christchurch, New Zealand, native Veale enjoyed a lengthy professional career as a second row with his home province of Canterbury, North Harbour, Northland, Kubota, and Wasps before moving to the United States to pursue coaching with Old Blue in New York. He is also forwards coach at West Point and will assume the role of set piece coach with the Eagles.
Hoadley was a long-time midfielder for London Irish and Wasps in the Premiership before retiring and becoming defense coach at Wasps. He moved to Japan to take up an assistant coach role with Ricoh Black Rams in 2012. He is now in his third season as assistant coach of Stanford University, and is assigned with coaching the backs in the ARC.
The Eagles playing roster is set to be announced prior to their training assembly in Houston, where they will open their tournament against Argentina on February 6.
Head Coach – John Mitchell
Defense Coach – Phil Greening
Forwards Coach – Marty Veale
Backs Coach – Rob Hoadley
Analyst – Paul Goulding
Strength & Conditioning – David Williams
Manager – Sean Lindersmith
