Our Rugby Coaches and Managers this season
St. Bede’s College is very grateful to all the people who help the boys enjoy their rugby experience while at school. Be they coaches, managers or analysts, our rugby teams could not function without their generous contribution of time and effort. Here is an introduction to those directly involved with teams so far this season, but no doubt even more people will step forward between now and the end of the season. Thank you to you all.
Dwayne Prendergast (1st XV coach): Dwayne coached rugby from 1997 to 2017, being involved in teams from Under 7 to Division 1. He has won six Division 1 titles, including back-to-back wins with the Christchurch FC Division 1 side in 2009 and 2010, as well as a 1st XV title. He has coached a number of Canterbury teams from Under 20 to Canterbury B and a couple of national representative sides.
Daniel Winchester (1st XV coach): Daniel is the acting Head of PE this year. He has played more than 100 games for Sydenham RFC and has coached previously at the College. Looking towards the future, Daniel is a young coach whom we hope makes great strides this season.
Angus Gardiner (1st XV coach): Angus played for the Crusaders from 1996-1999 and for Canterbury from 1993-1999. After a stint overseas, he returned to the franchise in 2003 to take up a role as personal development manager and then team manager. He is now the General Manager of Professional Rugby with the Crusaders.
Mike Streatfield (1st XV manager): Mike finished his playing days 2 seasons ago for the Saracens which won the title. He has coached a few sides from under 8s to under 16s and currently is still coaching his son’s under 12 team. This is his first season as a manager and he looks forward to developing in the role and finding solutions for the team when needed.
Sars Flood (1st XV video analyst): Sars is an old boy of St Bede’s (2013-2017) currently in his second year at the University of Canterbury studying Performance Analysis. This is his second year working as the performance analyst for our 1st XV.
Kurt Paterson (2nd XV coach): New PE teacher to the College. Previously was at Southland BHS where he was involved in 1st XV coaching in 2018. Before that was involved in the coaching staff of the Marlborough Boys’ College 1st XV in 2015. Has coached Southland U16 and U18 teams at representative level.
Kerry Sullivan (2nd XV manager): Kerry joins the St Bede’s team in 2019 having previously been at Rangiora High School. He has been involved in UC Cup/Press Cup rugby as manager for Rangiora High School since they joined the competition in 2011.
Simon Cooper (2nd XV manager): Assistant HOF Social Sciences & TiC Commerce and Tourism. Simon has been involved in both coaching and managing rugby since becoming a teacher in 2003. He has managed 2nd XV and 1st XV rugby both at Shirley Boys’ High School and here at St. Bede’s College as well as four years with our U15A team.
Baz Dunne (3rd XV coach): Has coached at St. Bede’s for 35 years continuously. In that time Baz has coached from U13 to the 1st XV . He has been involved with South Island Schools and Canterbury U14 and U18 in the past.
Richard Freeman (3rd XV coach): HoF Science. Richard has coached high school rugby for 22 years and the last 17 at St. Bede’s College. During that time he managed the 1st XV for 8 years and has coached almost all grades at high school level.
Brooke Rowland (3rd XV manager): Science teacher. Brooke has managed rugby teams for over 15 years. Was manager of Burnside HS 1st XV for 3 years before moving to St. Bede’s College. Has managed all grades of rugby at St. Bede’s, from U14A to 3rd XV.
Pat O’Connell (4th XV coach): Pat is a 3rd generation Bedean, attending the college from 1998 – 2002. Originally from Kaiapoi, Pat has been on the West Coast for several years. He has coached/managed underage club and West Coast representative teams previously. Due to family circumstances Pat has returned to Christchurch and is excited to again be involved with St. Bede’s Rugby and to have the opportunity to join the ranks of experienced coaches at the club, some of whom coached him nearly 20 years ago.
Jim Stenberg (coach): Jim has been involved either playing or coaching rugby for as long as he can remember. His claim to fame is while playing Christchurch FC senior rugby was being compared to Maradona for his ability as a prop to chip the ball off both feet in one game putting two players in for tries. Go Rangers!
Clint Williams (U16 A coach): Clint played rugby at Shirley BHS as a youth and then went on to senior level at Shirley RFC with some brief representative appearances along the way. His involvement with coaching has been with New Brighton Club at U12 and U13 and then in 2017 at St. Bede’s he coached the U14B to winning their Section. He is a passionate rugby supporter and is keen to help the boys develop their abilities and skills.
Oli Jager (U16 A coach): Irish prop who made his way into the Crusaders squad in 2017. Oli played for the Ireland U18 Schools side in 2013, but decided to pursue his rugby dream in Canterbury. Has made an impressive comeback from injury to again feature in the Crusaders this year.
Dave Litten (U16 B coach): David has coached the St Bede’s U16B team for the last ten years. Prior to that he has managed the Mount Albert Grammar and Wanganui Collegiate 1st XVs.
Tetsuya Ooba (U16 B manager): IRP coaching intern from the Kushiro area of Hokkaido, Japan, but will manage the U16Bs and hopefully help to transfer some of IRP content into this team.
+ Ed O’Brien (student coach)
Diarmuid McMahon (U15 A coach): Diarmuid played senior rugby in Wellington and Christchurch since coming to NZ. He is in his 6th year at the college, having coached the 3rd XV in his first year and then the 1st XV for 3 years, winning one UC Championship in 2015. He is in his second year with the U15s.
Nick Ryan (U15 A coach): Head of Social Science Faculty. Played through high school and university. Coached OBHS junior rugby in Dunedin 2012 ,2013, 2nd XV coach 2015, U15 coach 2016, 2017, 2018.
Jon McDowall (U15 A manager): As Deputy Rector (Teaching & Learning) Jon is in his third year at St Bede's, and second managing the U15As. Prior to coming to St. Bede's Jon coached the St. Peter's, Gore 1st XV and U15s at various stages, including completing three international rugby tours.
Reed Wilson (U15 “Red” coach): New to Christchurch and to the PE department at St. Bedes. Has played premier rugby in Waikato for the last 4 years. Still playing senior rugby in Christchurch for University. Has been involved with representative teams in both Bay of Plenty and Waikato.
James Burnside (U15 “Red” coach): James is new to St Bede’s and New Zealand, having previously taught at Bradfield College and Caterham School in England. He is a keen rugby enthusiast and also a despondent supporter of the Leicester Tigers. Until injury James played rugby in England for teams in the Midlands and London.
Vicki O’Sullivan (U15 “Red” manager): Has managed her son’s rugby team at Christchurch Football Club for the past 9 years, before managing the SBC U14 last year.
Cory Jury-Lynn(U15 “Black” coach): Cory played Div 1 for New Brighton for four years. He now plays Div 2 for Woodend. In the past he coached Shirley BHS U15, Christchurch FC U11, U12 and U13 and for three years and coached soccer many years ago. He says he is a good “armchair-coach” when it comes to the All Blacks.
+ Sam Anderson & Sam Sparrow (student coaches)
Mel Raisin (U15 “Black” manager): Primary teacher. ‘Embarrassing Mum’ cheering from the side-line, for a number of different codes. Have coached and managed primary aged Tball, ki-o-rahi and netball. Highlanders supporter.
Jacob Pepper-Edwards (U14 “B” coach): Sports coaching student at UC majoring in strength and conditioning and performance analysis, played for Rangiora HS in 2016, NZ U18 Maori in 2017, and Waitaha in 2018. Currently playing for Sydenham RFC.
+ Adam Morganty, Tommy McIntyre, Liam Buckley (student coaches)
Patrick McAfee (U14 “B” manager): Patrick has been a sideline spectator for many years who now helps administer the U14Bs. He also is a long serving administrator within cricket. He is grateful for the experiences that sport, especially team sports, have offered his 3 children as they have grown. Patrick still proudly recalls his own competitive schoolboy rugby with St Augustine’s College 1st XV Whanganui and the great fun and comradery enjoyed playing university rugby in the Manawatu.
Gerry Davidson (U14 A coach & 1st XV manager): College Deputy Rector, involved in St. Bede’s rugby for over 20 years. Gerry has coached to NZ Schoolboys level and is one of NZ’s most experienced secondary school level administrators.
Anthony Lawry (U14 A coach): A coach who enjoys to learn off the boys and hope they learn off him. Played and coached at all levels of club and representative rugby.
Rachel Pitcaithly (U14 A manager): Rachel is the College Chaplain. Over the past years she has managed her own children’s teams in netball, rugby and football. She has been supporting SBC rugby from the side lines for years and now takes on a managing role.
Julian Meates (U58 kg “Red” coach): Julian is an old boy, who played for UC and NZU. He has coached junior rugby for the past six years at various ages from Ripper through to Under 12s. He is passionate about participation and fun and ensuring everyone has a balanced perspective around children’s sport. Like everyone he likes winning, but would much rather lose playing as a team than win playing as individuals.
Chris Cusin (U58 kg “Red” coach): Chris played premier rugby in Wellington and represented Wellington at 7’s. Chris played senior rugby and 7’s in the United States and Ireland. He coached senior rugby in Ireland for six years before returning home in 2011. Chris has coached junior rugby since his return home. Chris hopes to help the boys develop their rugby knowledge and skills and is looking forward to the upcoming season.
Lejorben Lutters (U58 kg “Red” manager): Lejorben is a proud mum of two Bedean boys and has managed many of their rugby teams over the past years. She enjoys being involved with her sons’ sports in this way, which also allows her to give back to the rugby community.
(U58 kg “Black” student coaches): Mac Meredith, Jacob Moylan, Dylan Cannan, Sam Back
Our student coaches are covered separately in this article: