Damian McGrath is a distinguished rugby coach, author, and high-performance speaker, celebrated for his ability to inspire teams and individuals to achieve excellence both on and off the field. With an extensive career spanning decades and continents, Damian’s expertise in building high-performing teams transcends sport, making him a compelling speaker for corporate audiences. His unique insights into resilience, team culture, and strategic empowerment resonate with professionals seeking to elevate performance and cultivate cohesive, driven teams.
Damian’s journey began as a professional rugby league player before he transitioned into coaching, first as a reserve team coach at Batley RLFC. His early coaching roles at Leeds Rhinos and later in the Rugby Football Union laid the groundwork for his coaching philosophy, with successes such as the 1999 Challenge Cup victory and his leadership at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. Moving into rugby union, he established himself as a versatile leader, coaching national teams across age groups and fostering skills development at the elite level. These formative experiences cultivated his expertise in high-performance team-building and provided a wealth of real-world insights that he shares with his audiences today.
In recent years, Damian has achieved notable success on the international rugby sevens circuit. As head coach for Canada’s national men’s sevens team, he led them to their first-ever World Series victory in Singapore in 2017, a historic milestone for Canadian rugby. His tenure with Germany also saw them achieve World Challenger Series victory in 2020. Additionally, as head coach of Kenya’s sevens team, Damian led them through the 2022 Commonwealth Games and Rugby World Cup Sevens. These accomplishments underscore his exceptional capacity to drive performance, adapt strategies, and elevate teams to the next level, further establishing him as a trusted authority on high performance.
Today, Damian McGrath is sought after as a high-performance speaker, known for his practical strategies that unlock team potential and foster resilience and motivation. His “Leading from Within” programme empowers individuals and teams alike, making him a valuable asset for organisations eager to inspire their teams. Damian is hired not only for his impressive coaching record but for his ability to impart actionable lessons in leadership and success that extend far beyond the sports arena.
Damian McGrath is regularly booked to engage audiences at events, read their latest feedback below:
“Our session with Damian was a masterclass on leading teams in diverse cultures, a task full of complexities that can initially seem to hinder high performance. At the core of Damian’s message was the idea that Cultural Intelligence is a key skill for leaders, and indeed, everyone within a high-performing team.”
“Day two, in contrast, was exceptionally inspiring, humbling, uplifting. Remarkable human beings. Damian McGrath’s message about recognizing and valuing the less obvious cogs in the wheel of success, I know, has changed me for life. I’ll be a better leader for this forever.”
“Damian’s depth of international coaching experience is evident in his engagements. Damian is an inspiring and knowledgeable professional who seamlessly applies principles from professional sports to team work in any sphere, whether that be corporate or otherwise. I had the pleasure of taking part in the BEST speaker program with him and have learned and applied his teaching already. You will be gripped from the first moment.”
“I enjoyed and developed from hearing Damian’s insights through professional sport, coaching and most of all his management of people from all cultures in professional rugby. These unique and special accounts are enriched with value and understanding that demonstrate his innate ability to connect and lead people in the good years and importantly through the bad to transform back to the good. Damian’s experience is paralleled by none and being witness to his accounts of a number of periods of professional international rugby coaching and leadership is very special. His incredible account of turning around a situation in Canada in Rugby. Something that is an exemplar in personal leadership in a time of adversity and cultural intuition that elicits wonder and awe to any listener. Find his book ‘Can you be Fluent in Success’. I have a signed copy as a gift for a young person I hold dear, beginning military service that will shape the way he approaches things. It’s one I highlight and carry with me. A super guide to culture, resilience, communication, faith (a leap at times) and so many other core skills to success and most importantly happy fulfilment in the art of delivery. I recommend this book to any age. There is so much to learn from it at any age but impartially a drag perspective on business coaching. So business leaders take note(s). A wealth of experience, an exceptionally humble, un assuming and amazing personality I recommend Damian for keynotes , workshops on the tried and tested R8 theoretical model that has proven to reverse fortunes, to a well-articulated and creative approach to driving to success. Always a pleasure to hear Damian speak. Huge appreciation for this master of coaching and life.”
“I can’t speak highly enough of Damian… but I will try! I recently attended one of his keynotes in London and the impact was fantastic – his experience from his incredible rugby and coaching career translated so well into the business world. Damian has led amazing teams on to do brilliant things, and his people first approach is something everyone needs to hear in business. Personally, I took some real key takeaways around how to get the most out of my team and create a happy & thriving culture at work. The way he brings theories and analogies to life through storytelling (and humour) makes his content really memorable, relatable & easy to digest. Anyone looking for a speaker to inspire… Damian is your man.”
“It was a privilege to collaborate with Damian McGrath on The Curious Mindset. Damian’s content and delivery engaged the virtual event and inspired everyone in attendance – just as one would expect from a live experience! If you’re looking for someone to share their personal journey from professional rugby league to embarking on a successful coaching career and helping others reach beyond what they thought capable, look no further than Damian. Thank you for inspiring us all to aspire to be our best versions.”
The High-Performance Speakers Agency is the UK’s leading bureau for teamwork, leadership, and marginal gains speakers. We hire speakers for corporate conferences and events across the world and cater to both in-person occasions and online webinars. Our roster includes sportspeople, business leaders, adventurers and more, to ensure audiences of all industries receive tailored, impactful advice on optimised performance.