Men's Rugby
Women's Rugby
The Balmy Beach RFC will be running 4 men’s teams and 1 women’s team during the 2024 season.
2 of our men’s teams play in the Marshal Division of the ORU, and 2 of our men’s teams play in the TRU First Division. Our women’s team play in the TRU First Division.
The season runs from May until August or September. We practice and play home games at Tubs & Gee Gage Field, in the east end of Toronto.
The Senior Women practice on Mondays and Wednesdays, and the Senior Men practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Games are on typically on Saturdays, and you can click here for the Season Schedule.
Women’s Head Coach – Spencer Robinson
Spencer brings over 30 years of coaching experience where he led sevens and 15’s programs at the local, regional, provincial, and national team levels in both men’s and women’s rugby. His extensive knowledge of the sport has brought him all around the world where he has coached various teams and introduced the game of rugby to many youth.
Spencer is the current Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coach of Youth Rugby and Belonging with the Toronto Inner-City Rugby Foundation (TIRF). In this role, he works directly with youth aged 12-19 to increase the engagement and participation of racialized athletes in rugby.
Spencer passion for growing and diversifying the game in both community and high-performance settings is well- known throughout the rugby community and we are very fortunate to have him return for his third year with the Beach.
Women’s Coach – Jeremy Cairnie
Jeremy started his playing days in High School at Cairine Wilson SS in Ottawa Ontario and club in Toronto.
After his playing days were done Jeremy wanted to stay engaged and give back to the game, started coaching junior club rugby at U16 and U18 level before becoming a head coach for a Toronto Club’s Women’s program. Along with coaching club he is active with Rugby Ontario in their High-Performance Program along with being Head Coach of their Senior Women’s 15 West side. Jeremy also shared time with the Rugby Canada Development Academy as a skills coach and is an assistant coach for U18 age grade National Teams.
His Coaching philosophy had always been player focused and helping the athletes achieve their journey “at the end of the day we are here for each other. If we can be successful off the field we will be successful on the field.”
Men’s Head Coach – Patrick Maulson
Patrick has been a part of the Balmy Beach Rugby program for the last three seasons. In this role he led the Beach “attack” winning TRU I and II championships, two Gee Gage Cups and a McCormick Cup, and a Men’s Ontario Championship. Prior to arriving at Balmy Beach, Patrick had success at both Junior Club and Rugby Ontario programs winning two club U18 provincial championships, and a U18 Eastern National championship with Rugby Ontario.
Overseas Patrick has completed an immersive coaching internship in South Africa, under Head Coach Warren Peterson at the Stellenbosch Rugby Academy now the Western Province Rugby Academy.
Following the impressive accomplishments of previous seasons and rich rugby history of The Beach, Patrick is looking forward to steering The Beach toward a successful 2024 season…and beyond.
Men’s Coach – Sandro Fiorino
One of the top coaches in Canadian Rugby in both 7’s and 15’s, Sandro Fiorino has made a massive impact on the game.
Whether leading the Canadian Women’s 7’s Team to a historic Bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, driving the NSWT 15-a-Side Program, or guiding the Rugby Canada Development Academy (Ontario) in developing Canada’s Next-Gen athletes, Sandro has always had the ability to identify and cultivate talent. As Head Coach of the Canada’s Women’s Under-20 Team, Sandro won back-to-back undefeated Nations Cup Championships in 2013-14, with victories over England, South Africa and USA.
This spring, Sandro is launching HIGH-FIVE RUGBY, a Canada-wide talent identification and development program for the next generation of Canadian rugby stars.
Men’s Coach – Brian Krawetz
Brian Krawetz has had a long-playing career with appearances for Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Nova Scotia provincial teams. Brian also played Rugby Canada Super League for both the Manitoba Buffalo and the Nova Scotia Keltics.
Brian has coached minis, Juniors, and Senior Men and Women. He has coached for both the Manitoba and Nova Scotia Provincial teams. In 2019 he was the scrum coach for the Ontario Blues U19 Men’s team where they won the Canadian Rugby Championships in Saskatoon. His national coaching experience includes being a development coach for the Senior Men’s National Team under Kieran Crowley as well as a development coach with the Canada U18 Men’s team under Head Coach Jim Delaney.
He is the current scrum and forwards coach for the University of Toronto Men’s Varsity Blues Rugby Team.
Men’s Coach – Paddy Watson
Paddy Watson coaches at Balmy Beach, University of Toronto, the Toronto Arrows Senior Academy, and Upper Canada College. He has previously coached at UBC, the UBC Rugby Academy, Kitsilano Secondary School, and with regional age grade teams. In 2021, he managed the Vancouver Wave team that went undefeated to win the Coastal Cup. In 2019, he worked a committee with the Canada Chamber of Commerce in Japan to promote ties and charity initiatives surrounding the Rugby World Cup.
We’re happy to have Paddy back for a second season!
Men’s Coach – Doug Underwood
Doug Underwood began playing at Beach in 1979, winning Carling and McCormick cups in ’80, ’81, ’85, ’86, and ’88.
Doug played rugby at the University of Toronto, where he was selected as an OUAA all star for in 1982.
Doug became a teacher upon graduating and went on to coach successful boys’ rugby teams at Cedarbrae Collegiate Institute and Malvern Collegiate institute. He led teams to OFSAA multiple times, winning gold in 1988 with Cedarbrae, and silver in 2014 with Malvern.
Beginning in 2003, Doug coached a variety of junior boys’ teams at the Beach, ranging in age from U12 to U21.
We are excited to welcome Doug to the Senior Men’s coaching staff.
Men’s Coach – Brian Spanton
Brian Spanton began his BBC rugby career in 1978, as a U18 junior player. He was a member of seven Balmy Beach Senior cup sides, winning two Carling Cups, and five McCormick cups in the 80s. Brian also played for Rugby Canada’s Senior Men’s 7s team and was selected for Canada XV’s Tour to Australia in 1985.
Brian has been a part of TSN’s rugby broadcast team since 1991, covering every Rugby World Cup televised on the network. He has also covered international tournaments and friendlies including the 2014 Commonwealth Games Rugby Sevens and the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Brian has coached at both the high school and club level, for Malvern Collegiate Institute and with the Balmy Beach Junior program. Brian has been involved with Beach rugby for over six decades and we are thrilled to welcome him back for his second year with our Senior Men’s program.
Strength & Conditioning Coach – Adrian Lightowler
Adrian’s playing career featured stints at Premiership, Championship and All Ireland League sides as well as captaining Ireland at the junior international level. While playing rugby in Ireland, Adrian studied a degree in sport science and business, which led him into his second career as a strength and conditioning coach.
Since retiring from rugby, Adrian has worked in the English Championship (rugby) as a head of strength and conditioning as well as with one of British Tennis’s High-Performance Centres.
As Head S&C Coach and Manager of Fitness and Performance for 13 seasons at the University of Toronto, Adrian has experience with Varsity Athletes in many different sports. He has also worked with elite athletes from MLB, CFL, NHL, Olympians, and recreational clients in the community.
Adrian is looking forward to joining Balmy Beach and working to improve the strength and conditioning of the squad going into the 2024 campaign.