John George – Champion rugby man

Ian Snook

When John George was named the New Zealand Rugby Volunteer of the Year at the Steinlager Awards in Auckland in 2002 he was quoted, “You do it for the love of the game. Giving boys the opportunity to play in a team. It’s important that they play a team sport”.

This summed up the man who for over 50 years immersed himself in coaching and administering at primary and secondary school levels, with a big emphasis on rugby. The number of hours spent on the coaching fields and in meetings, and the kilometres travelled to attend these meetings, highlights the commitment of one of Taranaki’s most dedicated and unwavering rugby personalities.

Born in New Plymouth, John attended Central School, Highlands Intermediate and New Plymouth Boys High School. Whilst at Highlands he played first-five for Taranaki Black at the annual quadrangular tournament with Whanganui, Rangitikei and Taranaki Yellow and was captain of the Highlands seven aside team that won the Under eight stone section at the Tukapa tournament alongside team mate Trevor Corkin who later went on to play for Taranaki.

He was a talented youngster who loved rugby; something that would stay with him for the rest of his life, and as well he was a skillful athlete being part of the athletics team at NPBHS.

On leaving school he attended Palmerston North Teachers College where he played first-five in the 1st XV, who those days played in the Manawatu Senior ‘B’ competition.

Teaching took him to West End School in New Plymouth, then Opunake Primary School where he played alongside the Harrop brothers in senior rugby and was coached by one of Taranaki’s best Noel Stanley. He also met an attractive school teacher and is still married to Lee to this day.

Opunake was John’s first taste of success as a coach with the team winning the Linkhorn Cup, the competition for the larger primary schools in the province. They were led by Graham Mourie, who would later become the All Black captain.

From Opunake it was on to Stratford Primary where he once again coached the team that won the Linkhorn Cup, before spending time teaching at Stratford High School along with the likes of local personalities Barry Pugh and Keith Caldwell in the phys ed department. Here he coached lower grade rugby teams. While living in Stratford John also won the Junior Golf Championship at the local club.

Then it was a five year stint at Turangi. Sport was not the driver in Turangi, although there was still the school rugby team to coach, but working three jobs was, so along with the teaching there was employment at the TAB and the local bottle store. With four children by now, Michael, Greg, Troy and Kelly, and plenty of fishing and skiing to be had, they were memorable days.

Maramarua, on the main road between Pokeno and Thames, was the next destination and here John ran the local athletics club, coached the school rugby team, and got back in to some golf, playing off a 12 and being the treasurer of the golf club.

Following the five years at Maramarua, John and Lee won the positions of Principal and assistant at Mokau School. Here there was more golf, often on a sheep populated course, playing pennants for the Awakino club.

With Michael and Greg already staying in New Plymouth to attend Francis Douglas Memorial College, and Troy ready to start secondary school, it was time to head back to New Plymouth. Lee was appointed to a position at Frankley School and John won a position at Puketapu School in Bell Block. Once again there was the 1st XV to be coached.

Two years later, in 1982, he was head hunted by Brother Peter Bray and it was off to Francis Douglas Memorial College and the beginning of an involvement in rugby that was above and beyond the call of duty. His involvements and awards include the following:

1982 – Coached FDMC U13’s and North Taranaki Under 13’s.

1983 – Coached FDMC 6th grade.

1984 – 1985: Assistant Coach FDMC 1st XV.

1984 – 2009: FDMC representative on the Taranaki Secondary Schools Rugby Committee.

1986 – 1994: Coach FDMC 1st XV.

1986 – 1993: Selector Taranaki Secondary Schools.

1986 & 1990: Managed Taranaki Secondary Schools teams to New South Wales.

1987 – 1993: Manager Taranaki Secondary Schools team at Northern Region Secondary Schools Tournaments.

1987 – 1995: Taranaki representative on the Northern Regions Secondary Schools Committee.

1995 – 1999: Taranaki Secondary Schools rep on the TRFU Junior Advisory Board.

1996 – 2000: Taranaki Secondary Schools rep on the Central Regions Secondary Schools Committee.

1997 – 2009: Master-in-charge of Rugby at Francis Douglas Memorial College. 1997 – 2009: Chairman Taranaki Secondary Schools Rugby Union.

1997 – 2009: Draw person Taranaki Secondary Schools Rugby Union.

1997 – 2010: Taranaki Secondary Schools delegate to the TRFU AGM.

2001 – 2010: Taranaki Secondary Schools rep on the Hurricanes Youth Council. 2002 – NZRFU Volunteer of the Year.

2002 – Taranaki Sports Volunteer/Administrator of the Year.

2002 – 2009: Head of Sport at Francis Douglas Memorial College.

2003 – Awarded Life Membership of the Taranaki Secondary Schools Rugby Union.

2007 – 2009: Points table person Taranaki Secondary Schools Rugby Union.

2007 – 2010: President of the Hurricanes Rugby Youth Council.

2007 – 2016: Taranaki Secondary Schools rep on the TRFU Operations Advisory Committee.

2008 – Awarded Life Membership of the Hurricanes Youth Council.

2009 – Manager FDMC 1st XV to Australia.

2009 – New Plymouth District Council Volunteer Award. 2010 – Awarded Life Membership of the Taranaki Rugby Union.

When John started at FDMC there were only 240 boys at the school and he rightfully feels very proud of what the school has produced on the rugby field. He quickly ran through a team of very good players the school have produced, with a big smile on his face I might add.

Tony Penn, Liam Coltman, Deacon Manu, Kevin Barrett, Scott Barrett, Kane Barrett (Captain), Du Plessis Karifi, John Mitchell, Logan Crowley, Beauden Barrett, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Teihorangi Walden, Conrad Smith, Craig Taylor & Jordie Barrett.

Any game would probably have to played at Rahotu.

John was the fourth 1st XV coach at FDMC following on from Leo Walsh, Brendan O’Niell, and Brother William. They were in their early days of establishing themselves as a rugby school with a

few inter-school games alongside the local Taranaki Secondary Schools competition. The team won this competition in 1988 and were runners-up in 1994, John’s last season, with current Principal Tim Stuck being the outstanding player.

Brendan Back captained the squad on a tour to Queensland in 1992 which was the foundation for a very successful period in the mid-90’s onwards. In his final 1st XV act John was asked to manage the FDMC squad to Australia in 2009, a team lead by Kane Barrett and coached by Chris Moller and Steve Simpson.

Much of John’s time was also taken up coaching, selecting and managing the Taranaki Secondary Schools, working with the likes of Peter Gall, Gordon Giddy, Dave Moore, Peter Savage and Martin Dravitski. There were tournaments in places such as Dargaville, Tauranga, Avondale Racecourse, Taupo, Morrinsville, Pukekohe, North Shore, New Plymouth, Whakatane and the most memorable one of all, Whitianga. Here all the games were played on one field and all the teams were billeted in the local community which was pretty small at the time.

This was a tough comp with teams from Northland, Auckland ‘A’ & ‘B’, North Harbour, Counties, Thames Valley, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, King Country and Taranaki with all the provinces being competitive. Taranaki were always a threat, being runners-up in 86 & 93 tournaments before joining Central Regions in 1996.

Before the advent of professional rugby the playing talent was spread throughout the province, the 1987 team as an example had seven boys from NPBHS, three from FDMC, five from Hawera High School, one from Stratford High School, one from Spotswood College, two from Opunake High School and three from Waitara High School.

There were trips to New South Wales in 1986 and 1990 and internationals against Japan and Australia in New Plymouth.

Much of the time from 1982 through to 2016 was spent on various committees and attending meetings. Local secondary school meetings were in Stratford, Northern Region meetings were never closer than Hamilton and occasionally in Whangarei, Central Regions and Hurricanes were mainly in Palmerston North but occasionally in the Wellington region and there were the various Taranaki Rugby Union meetings in Stratford and New Plymouth.

There was plenty of sport at school as well, being in the physical education department from 1986-2002 and then Director of Sport through until 2009.

In 2002 John was awarded NZRFU Volunteer of the Year award and today the 1st XV’s from FDMC and NPBHS play for this trophy, now named the ‘John George/Max Carroll Trophy’. Max is a coaching legend from the NPBHS side of things.

It has been a full and satisfying life in rugby for John as he has laid the foundations for many rugby players in this province and further afield. His life memberships and awards tell the story of a truly dedicated rugby man. Over two thousand coaching sessions, 350 meetings or more, many, many games attended, and there is still a big smile remembering these times.

Well done John George.

Ian Snook is a former Taranaki and Central Districts cricketer and played rugby for Taranaki.