Phil Greening leaves USA Rugby after "rollercoaster 10 years"

Former England hooker Phil Greening is the latest coach to leave his long-held position at USA Rugby, joining men’s sevens head coach Mike Friday in seeking a fresh start elsewhere.

Greening was assistant to Friday at the Paris 2024 Olympics and held a variety of roles with USA Rugby in sevens and 15s, but he has decided that now is the time to end his decade-long association with the national union.

In a post on LinkedIn titled ‘Thank You America, it’s been one hell of a ride’, 48-year-old Greening wrote: “With a heavy yet proud heart, I’m announcing that after 10 years of working with USA Rugby and USOC (US Olympic Committee) I am perusing (sic) other opportunities and experiences.

“I’ve been fortunate to have coached at 3 Olympics, 2 Pan Am Games, 2 RWC7s and an ARC.

“Through the 10 years it has been a real rollercoaster ride, however the experience, the learnings, the friendships and the progress we made for rugby in the USA I am very proud and grateful for.

“Over the decade it has been a pleasure to have been involved in all the programs and some of the highlights have been with the men’s XVs winning the first ARC, the women 7s wining bronze in Paris, the men’s 7s being consistently competitive at the highest level and recognized as a top tier team, and the development of numerous players and coaches across America. Helping shape the programs from the ground up has been something I will forever be proud of.

“I’m proud of how committed and loyal I was to to stay for the ride, so that I can help build something special in the US and leave the programs in a better place, with methods and a foundations for those to come next to build upon and continue the success for years to come.

“Even though my commitment and loyalty through the tough times of the union’s bankruptcy, Covid, the drain of having to wear so many hats, help with resources, and family sacrifice has cost me personally over the years and ultimately my family, this journey and sticking to my principles and standards is one that I am proud of.

“On reflection, this journey has given me so many personal lessons, it’s driven me to a deeper personal development and importantly it has ignited my love for coaching, developing people and teams. It’s also shaped who I am today and confirmed my principles which I am grateful for.

“I am very grateful for the people who have walked with me on this journey over this incredible decade and the friendships I continue to enjoy and I will always cherish.”