SAN DIEGO LEGION APPOINTS JOHN MANENTI AS NEW HEAD COACH

San Diego Legion Appoints John Manenti as New Head Coach

San Diego, CA – August 26, 2024 – San Diego Legion is thrilled to announce the appointment of John Manenti as its new Head Coach, effective September 1, 2024. John brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success in both the 7s and 15s formats. Most recently, he served as the Head Coach of the Australian National Men’s Sevens team.

John has been instrumental in achieving historical successes, including leading Australia to its first Sevens World Series victory in 2022 and securing automatic Olympic Rugby Sevens qualification for the first time ever in 2023. His coaching career is distinguished by stints with both men’s and women’s teams, where he consistently demonstrated his ability to recruit, develop, and retain talent, driving teams to consistent top performances.

Ryan Patterson, Team Owner of San Diego Legion, expressed his enthusiasm about the appointment, stating, “Throughout the Head Coach recruitment process, John consistently stood out from an exceptionally talented field of candidates. His strategic vision for rugby, coupled with his demonstrated ability to elevate teams and foster winning cultures, left us deeply impressed. We are thrilled to welcome a coach of his caliber to San Diego Legion, confident in his expertise and dedication to lead our team to new successes.”

David Haigh, CEO of San Diego Legion, also commented on the appointment, noting, “John’s appointment is a clear reflection of our commitment to excellence. His extensive experience and impressive track record of nurturing players and achieving success on the international stage will be invaluable as we aim to fortify our presence in Major League Rugby and beyond. We are confident that John will lead the San Diego Legion to new heights.”

John Manenti expressed his excitement about his new role, stating, “Returning to 15s rugby as the Head Coach of San Diego Legion is an exciting opportunity to apply my coaching philosophy and experience in a new environment. I am committed to building on the solid foundation here and leading the team to achieve our goal of winning the MLR Championship.”

John will be relocating to San Diego and is eager to begin working with the team to prepare for the upcoming season. For media inquiries, please contact info@sdlegion.com.

About San Diego Legion

San Diego Legion is a professional rugby team based in San Diego, California, competing in Major League Rugby (MLR). Founded to bring high-level rugby to the San Diego area and to contribute positively to the community, the Legion offers an engaging sports experience for fans and families. With a commitment to excellence both on and off the field, the San Diego Legion promotes the values of teamwork, respect, and sportsmanship.

About Major League Rugby

Major League Rugby is a professional sports league representing the highest level of rugby competition in North America. MLR prides itself on fostering intense, high-stakes competition while bringing together a passionate community built on the values of Respect, Inclusivity, and Tradition. Matches are televised on Fox Sports, among other national and local market platforms, and its OTT Platform, The Rugby Network, offers fans the ability to stream select MLR matches live, along with Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Allianz Women’s Premiership Rugby, and other international rugby content. For more information, visit www.Majorleague.Rugby and follow @USMLR on Twitter and Instagram.