Toronto Arrows’ new head coach: Peter Smith

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Toronto Arrows player Tayler Adams on April 3, 2021

ANALYSIS – Peter Smith is only 32 years old, making him the youngest head coach in MLR. The Australian fly-half played professional rugby union in Wales (Ospreys) and Japan (Coca-Cola West Red Shark and Kubota Spears). His last year of professional rugby union was in MLR with the Seattle Seawolves.

Peter Smith is the new head coach of the Toronto Arrows

According to the Toronto Arrows of DJ Coil Rugby, he was an assistant coach on the Arrows staff. This is what he said before the game against the Seattle Seawolves took place last Sunday (a game the Arrows lost 21-8).

“The new position’s been great so far,” Smith told Yorkton This Week eight days ahead of the game versus the Seawolves. “The team chemistry has been outstanding.”

This could be because they were hardened in the 2021 MLR season. As many MLR fans know, the Arrows had to play their whole season in the U.S. Their home games were played in Marietta, Georgia. He did take a break from rugby union and played American Football in 2014. Unfortunately, after the 2018 season, he experienced an injury and has since been an assistant head coach for the Arrows.

Smith is responsible not for a club team, but a team that is very important for the country of Canada according to Neil Davidson of the Toronto Star.  Rugby Canada head coach Kingsley Jones included nine Arrows players for test matches against England and Wales last July. There were also 10 Arrows players in November’s test against Portugal in Lisbon. Additionally, the Toronto Arrows pictured with Tayler Adams above) remain the only Canadian professional rugby union team. Hopefully, this changes as Canadians can support more than one MLR team. However, as of right now, the Toronto Arrows remains Canada’s only MLR team.

Overall summary of Peter Smith

There have been some recent additions of young coaches in MLR. The Dallas Jackals last year hired Michael Hodge as head coach, who is only a few months older than Smith. This is not too unusual when looking at other sports. For example, the current Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse and Paul Maurice in the NHL had been head coaches at a young age. This is what Smith said about Kyle Baillie, who previously played for the NOLA Gold, according to the Canadian Press.

“We always hated playing against Kyle because he’s just a ruthless competitor who’s so good at the lineout,” Smith said cheerfully. “To have him on our team this time around is invaluable for us. He’s been a great addition to the squad.”

Canadian Baillie will now play with the Toronto Arrows this year. Also, Chris Silverthorn, the first-ever head coach of the Toronto Arrows, has become the team’s director of player development.

The Arrows’ next game will be against the LA Giltinis at Starlight Stadium in Langford, British Columbia on February 11. The game will be shown on TSN GO in Canada and it will also be shown on The Rugby Network and ROOT Sports. It will take place at Starfire Sports Complex at 10:00 p.m. ET and will count as an Arrows’ home game. It will also be the first time the Arrows will face off against Canadian Ben LeSage of the Giltinis. LeSage had played with the Arrows from 2020-21.

 

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