Ottawa Aces rugby league team hopes to have coach in place by end of month

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Aces have narrowed their search for a coach to three candidates, with team chairman Eric Perez saying he expects to name one before the end of the month.

The transatlantic rugby league team is set to start play in 2021 in the third-tier Betfred League 1.

The Ottawa franchise, which will play out of TD Place Stadium, is the brainchild of Perez, founder and first CEO of the Toronto Wolfpack. Perez and his 26-member consortium bought the license to England’s Hemel Stags in September 2018, with a view to moving the franchise to Canada — with Ottawa its new home.

Perez looks to start signing international players in June but wants a local flavour to his club. The team plans tryouts for elite Canadian athletes in the fall in Ottawa, pending any COVID-19 restrictions.

League 1 currently features 11 teams, nine from England and two from Wales.

The Wolfpack started in League 1 in 2017, eventually earning promotion to top-tier Super League.

The sport is currently on hiatus due to the global pandemic.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2020.

The Canadian Press