Head coach Graeme McGravie is pleased to announce François Ratier of the Canadian national team will join the Stingers women’s rugby program as an assistant for the 2016 season.
“I am absolutely thrilled,” said McGravie. “This is a great coup for us. François brings a lot of knowledge and technical expertise. He also brings a whole new level of enthusiasm.”
Ratier is the head coach of Team Canada’s senior women’s team. He took over the program in 2013 and was at the helm when Canada won the silver medal at the 2014 Women’s World Cup in France.
He has an extensive résumé that includes coaching the Canadian men’s U17 team, working with several club and university programs, and serving as the technical director of Rugby Quebec.
A native of La Rochefoucauld, France, Ratier was a wing with SC Angoulême for 10 years.
Overseeing the national women’s program is a huge undertaking, but Ratier has a gap in his schedule that will allow him to be with the Stingers full-time in the fall. His focus will be on “doing the attack and defence,” McGravie said.
The Stingers will open camp in late August.
