Northland's Bernard Goodhue says kids are vital to rugby's survival

Kawakawa rugby stalwart Bernard Goodhue, father to All Black Jack Goodhue, spoke about rugby's resurgence in the area and what is needed to continue the trend. Photo / Michael Cunningham

What is a father to say of his own rugby knowledge when three of his sons reach the game's professional level, including the All Blacks?

Some would shout it from the rooftops, most likely in the pub or on the sideline as they believe everyone and anyone should benefit from their extensive knowledge of the game, proven undoubtedly by the success of their flesh and blood.

Not Bernard Goodhue, father to All Black Jack and Super Rugby players Josh and Cameron.

Goodhue, 60, said his experience coaching his children through rugby showed him how hard it is to be a good coach. Photo / Michael Cunningham

This Kawakawa farmer is under no such illusion and is all too happy to credit his sons' achievements to their own hard work, as opposed to any Goodhue family secrets to rugby success.

However, as teenage participation numbers in rugby continue to drop, the 60-year-old says the kids are the key to seeing rugby thrive, something he learned in his 18 years as a coach of junior and age-group rugby.

A father of five on what is now effectively 180 hectares a few minutes from Kawakawa's main strip, Bernard's four sons and one daughter make up the family's sixth generation to live in the small town.

Goodhue, who was a groundsman at the United Kawakawa Rugby Club, said he would never stop supporting the club he had been a part of for so many years. Photo / Michael Cunningham

After playing rugby to a regional age-group level, Bernard didn't start coaching until local rugby stalwart Hector Davies recruited him to coach 8-year-old Cameron's first rugby team.

"I'd never thought about coaching, I had Cameron playing soccer and I hadn't been back to the [Kawakawa rugby] club since I pulled out for a few years," Bernard said.

"[Hector] said, 'Turn up at the club, I've got a team for [Cameron] and you can coach it,' and that's literally how it started."

It certainly wasn't a smooth path as Bernard found his feet in his coaching shoes. He freely admitted how fearful he was in the early days but with some sound advice and education, he soon learned to enjoy the role.

"You've got to understand that I had to overcome this fear because I had such limited knowledge, my father hadn't given me this insight into the game," he said.

"I guess for me, coaching kids was just something that I could do.

"I wasn't saying I was a great coach, but it was something that I could do, we had a lot of fun and it gave something back to the community."

Nursing a well-made cup of coffee, Goodhue spelled out his thoughts on how to keep rugby alive in rural areas. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Now, sitting back after 18 years coaching Cam, Axel and then Jack and Josh for one year, Bernard was confident becoming a coach was one of the most worthwhile things he has done.

"People don't realise, I got more out of it than the kids. I don't sit here and think I'm a good bugger for doing it because what I got out of it superseded what the kids got out of it."

These days, Bernard acts more as a club spectator rather than club co-ordinator. While he still holds the role of Bay of Islands sub union chairman and is a United Kawakawa Rugby Club groundsman, Bernard said his time as coach was done.

Despite Bernard's partial exit, the club's future was full of possibility. Under coach Wayne Martin, the premier side - which merged with Moerewa to form Moerewa UK - would be competing in Northland's top club competition next season.

After three years of trying, the combined team, which featured Bernard's son Axel, finally won their promotion/relegation game against Otamatea this year to qualify for the Whangārei-based competition.

Premier rugby will be coming to Kawakawa next year as the local side, UK Moerewa, qualified for Northland's top club competition by winning a promotion/relegation game. Photo / Michael Cunningham

As an old Kawakawa stalwart, Bernard laughed as he recalled memories of a fierce rivalry between Moerewa and Kawakawa.

"We couldn't even talk to each other after the game back in the old days, back when AFFCO was at its peak, you couldn't imagine the intensity, I wouldn't be able to sleep before we played Moerewa," he said.

While initially he wasn't a big fan of the merger or moving to the premier competition for fear of a depleted north zone competition, Bernard said he understood it would give local players great exposure at a higher level.

"We've got to make the north zone strong but as Axel said to me, 'Dad, we've played three promotion/relegation games, we've won one and we have to give it a shot, we just have to'."

Goodhue's great-grandfather was instrumental in barging the St Andrews Church building to where it sits across the train tracks from the local rugby club. Photo / Michael Cunningham

With about five Kawakawa junior teams this year, Bernard said he was pleased to see the club grow, but he knew it was not the same elsewhere in Northland.

With rugby in areas like Hokianga greatly depleted, Bernard implored clubs to continue working hard to attract youth to rugby.

"I don't think we can do anything about the teenagers, but we can't lose the ability to catch the kids," he said.

"I know how tough it is for coaches and I know how tough it is for clubs that are struggling. I think if we hang in there, better times might come."

For a man who openly declares he can enjoy a local club game more than watching his son play for the All Blacks, Bernard knew rural club rugby would never return to its heyday.

While he maintains he doesn't have the answers, Bernard Goodhue hoped the next generation could find a way to keep rugby alive in Kawakawa. Photo / Michael Cunningham

While professing to know no more than Joe Bloggs, the 18-year coach and father to three professional rugby players nevertheless said giving a pathway to the youth was vital should rugby survive.

"We are never going to go back to the old days where you have a packed house after a club game, but I'd love to see the community more involved in all clubs in rugby.

"If United Kawakawa hadn't been there and Hector Davies hadn't been there, I don't know whether my boys would have played rugby and that's the honest truth."