Coaches - Men's Rugby

Head Coach - Didier Banse

  • Didier Banse has steered the UBC Men's Rugby program since 2023, after previously serving as an assistant coach since 2018
  • Born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand, Banse played both rugby union and rugby league professionally and has coached both codes as well
  • During his tenure the T-Birds have earned one gold (2023) and two bronze medals (2024, 2025) at the Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship, while also resuming their historic World Cup series against Cal Berkeley
Read his full bio here: gothunderbirds.ca/staff-directory/didier-banse/1837

Click here for the entire Men's Rugby coaching staff: gothunderbirds.ca/sports/mens-rugby/coaches

Didier Banse is standing in the middle of a huddle of his players while he coaches them on the sidelines


UBC Men's Rugby Head Coaching History

Years            Coach
1908-12 – No Coach
1912-15 – Charlie Worsnop
1915-18 – Coach Unknown
1918-21 – Art Lord
1921-22 – Gordon MacLachlan
1922-23 – Gordon MacLachlan, Jim Scott
1923-26 – Jim Scott
1926-27 – Stan Farquharson, Jack Tyrwhitt
1927-30 – Jack Tyrwhitt
1930-31 – Harry Ford
1931-33 – "Buck" Yeo
1933-34 – Jack Tyrwhitt
1934-38 –  A. G. Dobbie
1938-39 –  A. B. Carey
1939-40 – Roy McConachie, Tom Stewart
1940-42 – Tom Stewart
1942-43 – Maury McPhee
1943-44 – Major Dobby
1944-46 – Dan Doswell
1946-47 – Roy Haines
1947-59 – Albert Laithwaite
1959-60 – Max Howell, Albert Laithwaite
1960-61 – Max Howell
1961-64 – Albert Laithwaite
1964-67 – Brian Wightman
1967-84 – Donn Spence
1984-97 – Barry Legh
1997-14 – Spence McTavish
2014-18 – Rameses Langston
2018-23 – Curry Hitchborn
2023-Present – Didier Banse