SHAUN BERNE APPOINTED AS NEW FIRST GRADE HEAD COACH

The Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club is today pleased to announce the appointment of Shaun Berne as our First Grade Head Coach for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Shaun, obviously takes on this role from Stephen Hoiles, who as we had previously advised was stepping down after 2 incredibly successful years at the helm, guiding us to a famous Shute Shield victory in 2023 to break a 20-year drought.

With First Grade’s season now over for 2024, we sincerely thank ‘Hoilesy’ for yet another chapter and amazing contribution he has made to our club and we wish him, his beautiful wife Lara and their four children all the very best wishes for whatever is next on the horizon for them as a family.

After a few years away from the coaching ranks, but still remaining involved in the game doing rugby analytical work, Shaun now returns on the tools with us in his true passion. Previously, Shaun was the Assistant Coach of the Melbourne Rebels from 2018-2021 and was also the at Western Force in a similar role in 2016-17. At international level he was the Attack Coach for the Wallabies in 2019, which included the World Cup campaign in Japan.

Prior to that, Shaun also spent a number of years in the Leinster Coaching Academy in Ireland and cut his coaching teeth after his playing days ended as Head Coach of other Irish club sides St. Mary’s College, Dublin and the Coolmine RFC.

As is well documented, Shaun had a decorated playing career in Myrtle Green, playing 90 Grade games from 1998 to 2005, with over 65 First Grade games. Plus, until the heroics by our 2023 team, he was the captain of our last Shute Shield Premiership winning team in 2004.

At Super Rugby level he was capped 46 times for NSW, represented Australia A and Australian Under 19 teams. He also played very successfully overseas for over a decade with the very best clubs in Europe such as Leinster and Bath and also with Italian Champions Calvisano.

So, Shaun returns to the club he loves with almost 25 years of experience in high performance rugby programs globally and with incredible rugby knowledge and IQ.

A local Coogee Seahorses junior, schooled up the road at Marcellin College, who graduated through Colts to Grade and professional career beyond, he is a shining example of what is possible in our pathway, which he will now be jointly responsible for.

Randwick DRUFC President John Tuxworth said “At Randwick Rugby we are incredibly fortunate to have past players who have gone onto coach at the very highest professional levels, then come and give back to their club. It is great for us to end up with a high-quality home-grown coach, whom we have put through a super competitive recruitment process, which attracted so many excellent applicants. Shaun was the standout candidate and he will build on the hugely successful base developed by Holiesy and his coaching team of Ben Hand and Rob Horne.”

Shaun’s focus as our First Grade Head Coach is to maintain our current momentum and win the Shute Shield again, as he did in his playing days and make us a powerhouse across all grades. He will work closely with our Director of Rugby Matthew Bowman to ensure we have the best high-performance environment in place for First Grade and our top squad players, which flows across all teams in the senior club, our women’s program and then in to our hugely successful Junior Academy, our local village clubs and development pathways.

Shaun said “I am greatly honoured to be given this opportunity to be the head coach of Randwick Rugby’s first grade squad. Many people have helped create a brilliant history for this club, and I’m excited to work with a talented playing group, coaches and the wider Randwick Rugby community.”

Shaun will commence with us in mid-September and will work closely with Stephen and Matthew on a smooth transition. Other First Grade Coaching appointments for the 2025 season will be announced in due course.

For the moment, our full focus is on Grand Final preparations for our 3rd Grade and 2nd Colts teams vying for premierships this weekend. Good luck to our boys.

Up the Wicks!

ENDS

For any media requests please contact:

Mark Harrison
General Manager
Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club
Via email: office@randwickrugby.com.au