Craig Dods leaves Scottish Rugby to head Canada's men's sevens programme

Craig Dods has departed Scottish Rugby to take up a dual role with Rugby Canada, becoming head coach of the men’s sevens programme and assistant coach of the men’s 15s team after emerging from a recruitment process that drew more than 70 candidates.

Dods is the son of Peter Dods, the full-back who was a cornerstone of Scotland’s 1984 Grand Slam-winning side and a British and Irish Lions tourist. The younger Dods arrives in Canada having served Scottish Rugby as a specialist skills coach, GB Sevens assistant coach, and national talent pathway coach. Earlier in his career he worked with Gala and Kelso in the Scottish Borders and spent time leading Hungary’s women’s rugby programme, guiding them to their best-ever finish on the Rugby Europe Sevens circuit.

“I’m delighted to be joining Rugby Canada at a pivotal time for the sport in such a proud and passionate rugby country,” Dods said. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to make an impact on the Men’s Sevens programme as we aim towards the 2028 LA Olympics and support Stephen Meehan as the 15s team look towards the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027.”

He added that he could already see “elite high-performance players who have the skillset and desire to compete at the highest level of our game, across both sevens and 15s.”

Rugby Canada’s high performance director Shawn Bullock described the appointment as the outcome of a rigorous multi-stage process. “Our selection panel conducted two phases of interviews designed to evaluate coaching expertise, leadership capabilities, technical knowledge, and alignment with our programme’s values and performance environment,” Bullock said. “We are excited to welcome Craig to our coaching staff with his experience and expertise in 7s and 15s.”

The role places Dods at the centre of two of rugby’s most significant upcoming events: the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 and the Rugby World Cup in 2027, giving Canada’s programme a clear dual focus as it looks to raise its standing in both formats of the game.