Here is a brief introduction of the people who will be involved in rugby at Burnside High School in 2018: (Hopefully the list will grow in the weeks to come)

In alphabetical order.

Roger Brenmer:  U15 team: Roger has played for the Hornby Rugby Club for the past 44 consecutive years, moving through the grades from junior to senior rugby.  He has been a player/coach for the Hornby Senior Div 3 side for the last 3 years. His involvement with Burnside RFC started in 2004 when he began coaching his eldest son. He has continued to coach through the junior grades following his son's teams, most recently coaching Burnside RFC U13 in 2017.

Riko Chinen: Riko will be the International Rugby Programme S&C coach and will also provide weight instruction for the senior school group. She was a nationally ranked discus thrower and shot-putter in Japan until she started her post-graduate studies.  She has just graduated from Tsukuba University with a Masters in Sport Science.

Lawrence Clark: Lawrence is a UC Sports Coaching degree student. He will be an intern in the International Rugby Programme, but will also assist in the 1st XV as an analyst focusing on defence.

Dale Deavoll: Playing experience: Shirley Boys’ High 1st XV 97-98; senior level country rugby for Lawrence RFC in 2004-5. Coaching experience: 2007-10 St Bede’s College - various levels from U14s to Third XV; 2011 Ran several coaching sessions in Baicoi, Romania for a friend establishing a club there. 2015 U16 Burnside High School 2017 Second XV assistant coach.

Darryn Findlay: Darryn has coached the Burnside HS 1st XV for 3 years, 2nd XV for 5 years, Girls 1st XV for 2 years. He was involved in Senior rugby coaching in Perth, WA and was the fitness trainer for 2 senior teams. Darryn's playing experience ranged from country age group and representative rugby, then onto to playing for Otago University, also playing for Otago U19. Presently he is coaching an U11 team and will again be used as a set piece coach in 2018.

Mark Ealey: Mark has coached the Burnside HS 2nd XV for three years and in 2018 will coach the 1st XV with Warwick Taylor.  Mark played rugby at University of Canterbury for six years before playing one season in Wales, then ten in Japan. He runs Burnside High School’s International Rugby Programme.

Jan Galloway: Jan has managed the 2nd XV for the past two years and will fulfill the same role for the 1st XV this year. Jan's background in sport is as a hockey player, but in recent years she has been a season-ticket holding Crusaders supporter.

Derek Hartley:  Derek is an ex-pupil of Burnside High School and played in the 1st XV in 1984-1985. His affiliation with the Burnside Rugby Club, both as a player and club member, has been ongoing since 1982. From 2008 he has assisted in the coaching of a number of junior teams at the club and co-coached the Burnside Club section winning U15’s in 2017.  In 2018 he will be one of the co-coaches of the U16’s.

Phil Holstein: Phil is the principal at Burnside High School. He has a long playing (University of Canterbury and New Brighton seniors) and coaching history, including New Zealand Schoolboys.  Phil is not directly involved with Burnside HS rugby as such, but is often  seen on the sidelines with wife Sue supporting our players.

Alex Lodge: Alex is a UC Sports Coaching degree student. He will be involved in analysis with the U16 team.

Mike Levington: Mike has played rugby since he was 19, beginning to coach in 2005. He and Derek have coached together in the junior grades in the Burnside RFC and will join forces  with Dali to coach the U16s this year. Both Mike and Derek look forward to contributing to the development of Burnside High School rugby.

John Mills: John teaches economics at Rangi Ruru. He is the co-coach of the girls' rugby team with Kaylee Tavendale. John played provincial rugby for Canterbury with Warwick Taylor and became an All Black in the early 1980s. John has a long and distinguished coaching career under his belt, from high school, through to senior club and representative team level. 

Dali Ndebele: Dali entered Burnside HS as a mathematics teacher in May 2017. He has an extensive background in rugby as a coach and administrator to a high level.  In 2018 Dali will be the Director of Rugby and will coach the U16 group.

Vaea Peterson: Originally from the Wairarapa, on completing his schooling, he moved to Christchurch, where he became a full time musician in the New Zealand Army Band. During his time in the Army, Vaea played for his club Burnham Dunsandel Irwell Division 1 team, the NZ Infantry Corps, the NZ Army Team, and also the Canterbury Māori Development team. Vaea is now commencing his final year of study towards a Bachelor of Sport Coaching with Majors in Performance Analysis and Leadership. In 2018 he will be an intern with the Crusaders and Canterbury rugby teams and will assist our U14 and U15 teams as set-piece coach.

Matt Rowe:  Matt has played senior level country rugby for Ashley RFC from 2009-2015, and he also played for the North Canterbury Colts representative side in 2010 and 2011. Matt was an assistant coach for the Burnside High School 2nd XV in 2017. He is relatively new to coaching, so is excited to inject his enthusiasm for the sport into Burnside High School, and to help develop a good rugby community within the school.

Warwick Taylor: Warwick has coached for many years at Burnside High School. He was an All Black in the 1980s, winning 24 caps and playing in the midfield in the All Blacks 1987 World Cup winning team. In 2015 and 2016 he was the president of the Canterbury Rugby Union. In 2018 he will coach the 1st XV with Mark Ealey. Warwick is an iconic figure in Burnside HS rugby and we are very pleased to have him back in the fold.

Kaylee Tavendale: Kaylee is a UC Sports Coaching degree student. She plays rugby for Christchurch FC and for Canterbury Women. This year she is helping to coach our girls' rugby team.

Andrea Trenchard: Andrea grew up playing hockey, to representative level in Ashburton. She later coached her son's soccer team, when he was four years old, for five years and remained as manager until he switched to rugby. He is now in his sixth season with the Burnside boys and will play U16 this year.  Andrea will be manager of the Burnside HS U16 team

Grant Wadley:  Grant will help with the U14 team this year. He was part of the coaching team for the Burnside U13 team in 2017 and coached boys at Parklands RFC from U8 to U11s. His playing experience started in Hawke’s Bay.

Matt White: Matt is the Deputy Principal and Head of Sport at Burnside High School. He played rugby for the Shirley RFC from under 7s to senior Division 1 as well as playing two seasons for Valley RFC seniors and senior Bs in Hong Kong. He has also been the player coach of teams at Shirley and Valley. He has coached school teams at Ellesmere College and Scots College and was the manager of the National title winning Scots College 1st XV in 2014. In 2017 he was the manager of the Burnside HS 1st XV.

We thank all of these people for their contribution and the many others who will assist with our teams this year.