Cooper Coats: Yeah, so it wasn’t traditional. Growing up, I was always a soccer player and played for my provincial and representative teams. I didn’t come into rugby until my last year of high school. It was just a few of my friends who were trying out the sport, so I figured I’d join them and give it a go. I tried it out with my high school team and was able to play pretty well. I learned to love the game there and eventually represented Nova Scotia with my club team in Halifax, the Halifax Tars. Then, eventually, I was able to squeeze my foot in the door with the under-18 national team, which set the platform for me to pursue rugby. Still, I didn’t take rugby as seriously as I went to finish my undergrad at Acadia University on the east coast. I played varsity soccer there for the first 4 years, but I didn’t play rugby for them. It wasn’t until after I finished my undergrad and played rugby during the summer that I could keep myself in the running for national team stuff. I eventually joined the 7s team after I finished my undergrad in 2018.
Cooper Coats: I’d like to think that some of the base skills are very similar in terms of your ability to catch, pass, and tackle, but tactically and strategically, they couldn’t be further from the same sport. They are very different sports. 7s is very fast and very individualistic. It has open field plays and is very loose, and there’s not as much strategy or structure. Meanwhile, 15s is more of an overall team game, with strategy and territory being incredibly important. They touch on some of the similar base skills but are strategically and tactically different.
Cooper Coats: It’s great. I’ve been really fortunate to play for so many years for 7s and 15s with Canada and play with players I’ve grown up with. But this was the first real opportunity to join a professional program that has a really diverse set of backgrounds and players that have played professionally in so many different countries around the world. I value being in this learning environment and getting small bits of information from people regarding how they grew up playing rugby and their expertise so far. It’s a competitive team, a lot of fun, and the guys are great, but it’s unique in that we have such different backgrounds where we can all learn from each other quite a bit.
Cooper Coats: Yeah, I think one thing that has allowed me to succeed in terms of vision from the backfield is when I was playing soccer, I always played center mid or center attacking mid. Always checking your shoulder and knowing where you are in space is really important, so I think that’s a skill that’s allowed me to transfer over to rugby quite well. I always try to keep my eyes up and be one of the loudest guys on the field, but that comes from preparation. It’s always just trying to make sure you’re doing the right things in practice at all times so come game time, it’s natural, and you just flow into it.
Cooper Coats: It’s great. I’m really just enjoying its professionalism. Being able to play against some incredible players from all over the world that come here to compete is something I really value. It’s pretty unique. You know, seeing a few Canadians on other teams is really cool, and it’s also great to play with some of the US Eagles that, of course, I compete against internationally. I think mixing those relationships with my teammates and competing with so many different people from different backgrounds is great.
Cooper Coats: It’s been a great physical reset to get our bodies into a good spot. We did some strong fitness the first day back on Monday to test where we were at. We had some really good scores, so it’s really indicating that the work we are doing in the gym and the efforts that the guys are making to put themselves in the best position possible are working. Not only has it been a physical reset so that we’re in a good spot, but it’s also been a great mental reset to learn from our previous games and be able to dial in and focus on the remaining part of the season, which will be massive for us.
Q: Having played 24 tournaments with Canada 7s and 17 caps for Canada 15s, which experience stands out the most to you, and why?
Cooper Coats: I’ve been pretty spoiled. I’ve had some pretty incredible experiences with both teams. I think one that sticks out, and I’m sure my mom will be happy I’m saying this, was when I was able to play and represent Team Canada in a test match in Halifax, right in my home city. It was at a grass pitch that was a stone’s throw away from my high school, and I was able to do that in front of all my family and friends that I grew up with and who support me. So it was a really special moment to play with my family and friends in the crowd, something I’ll never forget.
Q: Are there any past or present players whose style of play has particularly influenced your approach to the game??
Cooper Coats: I’ll pick somebody I got to play with: Nathan Hirayama. He was a Canada 7s legend and a legend 7s player worldwide. I was really fortunate to be able to come in as a younger player to the 7s team, which was incredibly established and had quite a few experienced players. The way Nathan Hirayama could see the field and use his footwork to unlock space was incredible. I always valued and learned a lot from his ability to see the game and almost slow down the game so that he could execute the skill he wanted. It was a pleasure to play with him, so I was fortunate for the time I had.
Q: What style of play are you anticipating in your upcoming match versus the New England Free Jacks?
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Cooper Coats: New England definitely has a kicking game they go to, and they’re also a very physical team. They’re one of the better teams in terms of getting two people into each tackle. I’m expecting a very tactical and powerful game with a lot of physicality. I think physicality will be one of the biggest buzzwords for this weekend, and then the kicking game, so it will be a battle on two fronts.
Q: What’s been the biggest difference between the rugby culture in Canada and what you’ve encountered so far with NOLA Gold?
Cooper Coats: I’d say, of course, there are a lot of similarities. I think that’s one thing that’s so special about rugby, and maybe that’s showing the similarities between the USA and Canada. There are a lot of similarities that I can take in, but I think, at the same time, it’s just the fact that we do have such a diverse group of players from all around the world. So that’s probably the biggest thing I’ve picked up so far: the diversity of opinion and learning experience.
