Community Rugby - Everyone Enjoying Rugby

Community Rugby covers all amateur forms of the game.  If you’ve played, watched at your local club or school, or helped out in any way at any level except for the paid professionals, then that’s what we’re about.

One of our primary jobs at the North Harbour Rugby Union is to support and assist people in all parts of Community Rugby.  We provide support wherever we possibly can – playing and coaching skills; refereeing; recruitment; administration; marketing; competitions… the list is long and varied. 

There’s plenty for us to spread our efforts across and we’re keen to do just that.  If what we do assists people in enjoying rugby, then great, we’ll help out in any way we can.

The Community Rugby Team is five people whose job is to support and serve that idea – everyone enjoying rugby.  Our job is to support people actually in the amateur game, so we call ourselves Community Support Officers, CSO’s for short.  We’re not particularly keen on telling everyone what and how to do this or that.  Our role is to notice how the Union can help out, provide what’s needed and support its implementation.

It’s your game. Rugby is a game which many people are involved in and lead every day.  The Community Rugby Team want you to enjoy your place in the game, be it feeding the troops on club days; managing a J4 team of youngsters or playing at any level up to the Air New Zealand Cup squad.

Alex O'Dowd – Community Rugby Manager

DDI: (09) 447 2118
Mobile: 021 970 915

Email: alexo@harbourrugby.co.nz

Greg Watson – Referee Education Officer

I joined North Harbour in April 2012, previously working as the Referee Manager at Auckland Rugby for the previous 3 ½ years.  My working experience has been in multinational corporations and small privately owned businesses.  I’m actually an Agricultural Scientist by qualification from Lincoln in Canterbury and continue to be involved in farming.

My interest and involvement in rugby is with match officials as well with players and coaches.  I enjoy helping and watching younger people succeed in their desired sport as athletes with not only the technical aspects, but how they can develop their mental and management skills to create a positive and healthy lifestyle balance.

I was born in the Waitaki Valley at a hydro-power township called Otematata.  I attended school at Christian Brothers in Dunedin where I probably succeeded more in rowing than rugby.  At university I pursued running ahead of any other sport.  It didn’t require much thought to run 20kms on those long straight Canterbury roads, then turn round and head back home again. 

After getting married, Pamela and I lived for 2 years in Wellington and then moved to the North Shore in 1989 where we have lived since.  I played a year at Glenfield, then played and coached at Takapuna for 4 years before taking up refereeing in 1995.  My refereeing career included highlights such as the National Provisional Championship; Super Rugby; IRB and NZ Sevens; South Pacific Games; Melbourne Commonwealth Games and a few minor Internationals.  My most memorable games were the finals at North Harbour Stadium – special days of celebration.

Rugby, particularly refereeing has given me the opportunity to meet some wonderful people around New Zealand and the world.  I always thought it would be really special to referee at a Rugby World Cup and although this never happened I would have never dreamt I’d be standing on Eden Park in October 2011 at the Cup final as the sideline match official manager – priceless! 

My wife, Pamela works for an investment advisory firm and we have 2 boys – one playing for North Shore and the other Takapuna, so the banter and mocking at the dinner table is entertaining. 

DDI: (09) 447 2111
Mobile: 027 683 9411 Email: greg@harbourrugby.co.nz

Bill Wigglesworth - Player & coach development Officer

Hi there, it’s great to be a part of the Harbour Community Rugby Team.

After playing for the East Coast Bays Premier team for 11 seasons and representing North Harbour in 1994 I hung up my boots in 1999 and started on my coaching journey.

Over the past 12 years I have been fortunate to have coached at both Senior Club and at Amateur Representative level.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges and rewards that are unique to coaching within Community Rugby. These experiences have helped me gain a real perspective of what our grassroots coaches have to deal with every season.  I certainly appreciate the amount of time, energy, and organisation it takes just to get our teams on to the field.  Without a doubt our Coaches, Managers, Referees, Club Officials, Parents and Supporters are the backbone of our sport.

I am currently in my 4th season with the Harbour Development team as an assistant coach.  Prior to this role I have worked in the same capacity with the Harbour U23 and U20 teams between 2006-2008.  This season I am also involved with the NZRU identifying young talent within our region at the under 17 level.  I attended the IRANZ High Performance Coaching course in 2008, and have completed my PORC (Level 2) and NZRU Advanced Coaching Course (Level 3).

While I feel very fortunate to call the North Shore home (born and bred), I have also lived and played rugby in Vancouver, Canada for 8 years.  The experience was fantastic and I continue to have many friendships from my involvement with the Capilano Rugby Club.  The Rugby Seasons were complimented with lots of travel and I have had the opportunity to visit and hike some spectacular regions throughout Canada, Nepal, Central-South America, and of course New Zealand.

I live in Torbay with my wife Monterrey and our 2 young children Isla and Jed.  We really enjoy living on the North Shore and the lifestyle it offers our family.

Enjoy your Rugby Everyone.