Outgoing Rams coach Paul Glynn says five years is enough: “I’ve put my heart and soul into it. It’s time to give the boys a different voice.” 

Paul began coaching the Upper Clutha premier rugby team, The Rams, in 2016. Under his tenure the club won its first premiership in 39 years and reached the semi finals on three other occasions.

On the outside Paul is a ‘Southern man’, a tough, no-nonsense, loose forward from Southland. But losing his father when he was a teenager made him realise the importance of community, and how important it is for young people to have a place they belong.

“I lost my father when I was 18. When that happens you look for support networks and rugby provided that for me,” Paul said. 

“I was fortunate enough to be involved in several good rugby clubs, clubs with good strong cultures and I had good coaches around me.”

A promising player, Paul was told he’d never play rugby again when he was 25-years-old. 

“I tore all the ligaments in my knee. I was determined to play again but in the meantime I started coaching and learnt a lot from established coaches.”

Thanks to his dogged determination, Paul did get back on the paddock, and after a move to Wanaka in 2008 he played for The Rams. He says the club had an outstanding team but it just didn’t feel right. “The culture just wasn’t there and I didn’t find it enjoyable,” Paul said.

“I remember thinking then that I’m going to come back to this team and coach.” 

Paul returned to Wanaka and took over the head coaching role in 2016. “I came back in 2016 and found a great bunch of young guys, all top mates and they were great guys and a strong group.” 

Paul says he went ‘hard’ on attitude and culture. “Culture is the number one thing. The key is basic human nature, that sense of belonging to something,” Paul said.

The team responded and the boys went to work over the 2017/18 summer and when it came to the 2018 rugby season the boys were fit, but better than that, they were “tight”, Paul said.

He said it was a focus on a healthy club culture which laid the groundwork for the 2018 championship victory.

“What we achieved in 2018 was absolutely special. The average age of that team was 23 and it was a special year. Those guys will hold those memories for the rest of their lives.”

Paul said things worked because everyone was on the same page. 

“The culture went beyond the team. When we went into the 2018 grand final the physios [Central Lakes Physio] really worked hard to ensure the boys were as fit as they could be. I can’t say enough about Vicky, Lauren, and Anna from Central Lakes Physio & Pilates. They were outstanding and absolutely professional.”

The side went on to lose in the semi finals in 2019 and 2020, both times to Arrowtown. 

“Arrowtown is a club I admire,” Paul said. “They have a great attitude and look after their players. They’ve become a bit of a bogie team for us.

“In 2019 we were looking good, we won the premiership but lost in the semi finals. There was plenty of disruption that year with the new club rooms being built and having to play away a lot. When you’re dealing with young guys it doesn’t take much to put them off key, but that was just the way the cookie crumbled.

“This year pre-COVID we had the strongest team I’d ever seen at the club, but COVID interrupted preparations and when we got back on the paddock a third of the guys weren’t available. We still made the semis.”

Paul says player numbers are growing and many players are missing out on game time. He says it may be time for a new rugby club to emerge. 

“There is a field at Hāwea and a community centre. A club could start there and build into it. The other option is Upper Clutha Rugby Club [could] operate two teams but it is very difficult to run two premier teams out of the one club,” he said.

The club has some very experienced coaches who may be interested in the role of head coach at the club, Paul said. “There are people wanting to be involved and that is what club rugby is about.”

The future of the club looks bright and for the club to go forward they just have to look after the players, he said. “As for me, I’m going fishing.”

Paul would like to thank the following people: Jason Richan, Robert Nolan, Rob Boller, Hamish Lamb, Paul Cosgrove, Katrina Bristow, Richard Pledger, Gary Reid, Blair Kenedy, and Jai Baxter.

Paul's team of the last five years:

1. Blair Kennedy
2. Michael Donald
3. Fergus Smith
4. Brendon Murdoch
5. George Reed
6. Hamish Cooper
7. Fraser Dowling
8. Sam Calder
9. Willie Short
10. Jason Richan
11. Jimmy Downs
12. Adam Faulks
13. Tyler Ford
14. George Gilchrist
15. Ben Purvis
16. Scott Cunningham
17. Matthew Templeton
18. Tom Hudson
19. Jack Gilchrist
20. Jai Baxter
21. Oliver Stirling
22. Brodie Flannery
23. Somln Page

PHOTOS: Wanaka App