Comox Valley’s Foster DeWitt signs pro deal with England’s Nottingham Rugby Club

By Brendan Jure/Comox Valley Record

Canadian international Foster DeWitt has signed a professional contract with Nottingham Rugby Club and moved to England.

Nicknamed The Archers, Nottingham play in CHAMP Rugby, England’s second tier of rugby union.

DeWitt’s signing was announced on Oct. 7, with the 30-year-old hooker and prop joining fellow Canadian backs Spencer Jones (announced on Oct. 5) and Shane O’Leary for the rest of the club’s campaign.

DeWitt, a product of Courtenay’s Georges P. Vanier Secondary School’s rugby program, was recently with Uruguay’s Peñarol Rugby in Super Rugby Americas. Prior to that, he was part of the New England Free Jacks in Major League Rugby. Mostly playing as a loosehead prop, DeWitt helped the team win three championships (2023, 2024, 2025) between 2022 and 2025 before leaving for Uruguay. In total, DeWitt played in 46 games for the Free Jacks, scoring three tries across four seasons.

Hw made his debut for Canada in 2021 against Belgium during the Autumn internationals. Canada won the game 24-0. DeWitt was recently named to Canada’s 2026 Pacific Nations Cup. He has appeared nine times for Canada.

DeWitt has yet to make an appearance for Nottingham, who are in the middle of the season. Despite his signing being announced on Oct. 7, DeWitt did not make the team sheet for a game against Worcester Warriors on Oct. 10, which ended in a 49-24 loss. Nor was he on the team sheet for a 29-12 loss to the Bedford Blues on Oct. 16.

Nottingham, who sit 12th in the CHAMP Rugby standings, still have a lot of rugby to play. The club’s next game will be on Oct. 30 against Chinnor.

Jones and DeWitt are part of the first wave of Canadians to sign with CHAMP Rugby clubs after Rugby Canada announced a new player pathway deal with the league in early September. The new deal will see the national body help Canadian players foot the bill for relocation costs such as flights and work visas to compete in England with professional contracts offered by clubs. The clubs will also work with Rugby Canada to make sure players are able to fulfill national team commitments as Canada prepares for its 2027 Rugby World Cup campaign. Other players involved in the new pathway are Kyle Steeves (Blackheath), Sam Miller (Blackheath), Isaac Olson (Ampthill) and Dewald Kotze (Rotherham Titans).