Northcote Birkenhead Rugby Union is one of the oldest team in North Harbour, and also one of the most iconic. Way before the establishment of North Harbour Union, rugby started to develop in Northcote as early as 1929.

Since then, Northcote has always been a major actor of the rugby landscape in the area. Great players have proudly worn the jersey and a huge amount of people have been involved through almost a century. We got a chance to talk with Simon Williamson, NBRUSC’s President, to try and understand what the key is for the club’s longevity.

Northcote Rugby, the story of Simon’s life

Simon Williamson is a product of Northcote formation: he started playing with the team as a boy, over 50 years ago. He has been part of the club at every level since then, from a junior player to making it to the senior side, and finally becoming member of the committee. He is currently the President of Northcote Rugby and has been for the past seven years. To say the least, Northcote is a part of his DNA: “my son has played there, and my grandson and granddaughters play there. It's very much a family centric club with a lot of tradition coming through”.

For Simon, it is not just about rugby in Northcote: “It's very much a social occasion just as much as playing competitive sport. I met my wife through rugby, through mutual friends, and I got married at Northcote Rugby in 1978”. His whole life has been linked to this team: “you forge lifelong friendships, and we have a team I played for, we meet every month for breakfast and that's 50 years on since we were playing”.

The best way for Simon to give back to Northcote is being involved with the team’s management. As a president, he emphasizes that a strong governance is the key for a sports club. It is what allows the players to develop on and off the field and also what makes sure that everyone around the club can find his role. Simon’s job is also to “to promote the participation in that sport at the club at all levels”, and he pays particular attention to the well-being of Northcote members.

Simon and Northcote Rugby are aiming to promote participation in rugby at all levels

Keeping the culture going

As a result of decades of tradition, Northcote has grown an established team culture. A big part of that culture is to make sure that everyone enjoys the game at every level of the club. Simon is very proud of the past legends of the club, who are role models for today’s young players: former All Blacks Richard Turner, Ron Williams or Snow White are part of the greats that are inspiring for everyone. For Simon, “They’re mentors, and you need your players to be looking up at them”.

Simon knows the importance of young players enjoying the game: “we have a strong junior club with 400 kids playing rugby now, and I try to get out there every Saturday morning”. He’s also aware of the “challenges that the game is facing at the moment”, for kids but also “for adults, we have to make the game attractive for them to want to continue to play”.

And this reflects the mindset of the team: “there's a very strong board at Northcote Rugby. Because the players look for strong governance, they want good coaching. Coaches, volunteers and referees, that's such an important part of what we call grassroots rugby”. Simon’s involvement is directly related to the fulfilment of Northcote’s members, as he considers that if you don’t get there, the game cannot survive.

An history full of traditions and a bright future

Back in the days, Simon remembers a team trip to Taupo that forged cohesion in the team and this sharing is still today a key value in Northcote: “It was about ten years ago. That team has been one of the most successful Premier 2 teams in North Harbour. It was a great trip and it's still talked about today. It's just a camaraderie that was developed in the hard case stories off the ground”.

The team spirit is a major factor of Northcote's success through the years, and the camaraderie Simon Williamsons cares about exists in all the teams in the club.

In a way, Simon Williamson is one of the people at Northcote who create that essential link between the past, the present and future of the team. And he’s aware of the big stakes of the next years: “The big growth is the girl’s game. We have to make sure, collectively, all clubs and unions, that we have got a pathway for that development in place. We are going to make sure that growth can be solidified and increased”.

And in that direction, Simon emphasizes the importance of rugby not getting too tribal: “You've got to be careful about club competitiveness, that is really good for the game. But after all, we're all playing against each other for the benefit of the game”. He is extremely proud of Northcote’s history as a rugby club and keeps in mind the future of the team. But some rivalries are timeless, and Simon knows it perfectly: “our traditional rivals of Takapuna and North Shore, we go a long way back. And it's a great day if you can beat either of those teams!”.

Well, Northcote is on a good track to keep its traditions ongoing and remain competitive in the future. And people like Simon Williamson, and everyone involve in the club at all levels, make it possible for rugby to develop more every day in the Union.