Born a little further away than most of the characters gracing these pages, Andrew was born in 1963 in Taupo in Waikato region on the North Island of New Zealand. Andrew attended Hamilton University gaining a degree in Business Studies then gained a further degree in Philosophy. He played rugby locally for Taupo Rugby Club.

Whilst working in the Airline Industry in New Zealand and later Singapore he met his English physiotherapist wife Victoria in 1995. They lived in Singapore before moving in August 1999 to Edenbridge in Kent. A job with British Midland saw the couple move to Melbourne in November 1999.

Local Doctor (now retired) Thomas and Tim Boyse got Andrew into Melbourne Rugby, playing for the thirds at either wing or fullback from 2003-2005, also playing for the Muffs (Melbourne Under Fifty Fives). The badge was quite interesting. I believe Guy Page still wears his tie!!

Andrew and Victoria’s son Thomas and daughter Eve started playing in the M&Js in 2011 prompting Andrew to get involved with photography and later the Website for Melbourne RFC. He worked on the introduction of the Facebook page and is currently the Webmaster for the Club.

Your author would like to pay tribute here to the patience and generosity of his time in helping her to acquire sufficient (only just) knowledge and skills to roll these profiles out with a great deal of his help. Couldn’t be doing this without you Andrew.

1. First position you played in rugby: Wing
2. Worst injury: Kicked down under on a freezing cold day

3. Best player you played with at MRFC or elsewhere: Brett George (Taupo Rugby Club)

4. Best person for post-match drinks, fun and frolics: Jeremy Coney

5. What should your nickname be: Weaver

6. What bad habit do you have: Thinking

7. Your sporting hero: David Kirk

8. Your non-sporting hero: Fitzroy MacLean (1911-1996)

9. Favourite food/meal: Paella

10. Favourite TV programme/film: Room with a View

11. Favourite book: Eastern Approaches

12. Who dead or alive would you like to have a conversation with: Epicurus

13. You can take either a book, music or a tool to a desert island. Which, and what would it be: Music – Pink Floyd ‘Wish you were here’

14. Dream job: International Airline Project Manager

15. Tell me something about you that no one knows: I was observed by Police Officers running over the Town’s Post Office cat after leaving the Police Station with a new gun licence in my old man’s Buick, and made the front page of the local rag the next day. Instant hero, instant villain.

16. A phrase that reflects your life: Don’t think too hard, it hurts!!

17. What sport do you wish you’d tried: Mountain climbing

18. Who would you like to see interviewed for this article: Matt Read (cannot wait to see what he has to say)

19. Your wish for the future of MRFC: To be a beacon Club for its game-enjoyment approach and its professionalism

20. Your Melbourne Dream Team of players past and present: With my experience really only of up and coming age groups, here is a bunch of players who have long been playing together as a part of the age group that is now a fantastic U18s.

Joel Tiwana
Thomas Bates
Ben Jackson
Cameron Redfern
Robert Rustom
Thomas Jansen
Ziggy Turton
Rohan Welsh
Mack Welsh
Jack Ireland
Joseph Moore
Gugu Ndlovu
Josh Flaherty
Ruben Pearson
Robert Clark