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Coaches, from left, Mike Rodden, Phillip Schmidt and Bruce Gravatt have had a positive impact on player sign-ups.
There’s renewed enthusiasm at the Mahurangi Rugby Club this season.
After previously having had a string of Auckland-based coaches, this season the coaching staff are all locals and it has had a positive impact on player sign-ups.
Club stalwart Phillip Schmidt has been appointed premiere coach and is joined by Bruce Gravatt as assistant coach.
In the past, Schmidt has coached all but one of Mahurangi’s four sides, including three years as prems coach.
Gravatt has been coaching the U21s, has three sons playing at senior level and was himself a player for seven years.
The pair played together on the premiere team when the club first formed in 1989.
They are joined by Mike Rodden as team manager. Rodden and Gravatt coached the U21s together last season.
In the season before that, Rodden coached the First XVs to victory in the North Harbour Secondary Schools competition.
The combination of the three has ensured broad appeal among potential players.
Up to five of Rodden’s former U21 players are going to join the premiere team which will hopefully bolster its ranks with youthful fervour.
Rodden points out that a number of former prems players have come out of the woodwork in response to Schmidt’s selection as coach.
As one player put it: “Schmitty’s back, Mahu’s back!”
Thanks to high player turnout, the team began fitness training days in mid-January, well ahead of the pre-season start date in March.
“We’ve never started this early before. But this year it has been about keeping things interesting and taking fitness trainings off the field, like going for a swim at the beach,” Schmidt says.
He says creating a culture and building camaraderie is key to the club’s success.
“The aspiration for the season is to play good rugby with mates. If people care about the team, then everything unfolds from there.”
He says the goal is to be competitive, and in particular bring the heat to home turf matches.
“We want to make our home ground a fortress. The club enjoys great local support and attendance at local games and that is important.”
Mitre 10 has again come on board as the club’s main sponsor for the season.
The first test will be a pre-season match against Wellsford RFC on Friday, March 19, for the annual “Battle of the Dome”.
