Selwyn Times: June 12, 2019

SELWYN TIMES Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Wednesday June 12 2019 11
first woman to be CRFU president
They didn’t know it was
coming, it was a huge surprise for
them and it was great to be able
to create those memories. They
got to hold the shield and get a
photo with it when they would
never expect to see it, let alone
have it at Scott Base. It was like
kids in the candy shop. It’s got
its own special case, you have to
look after it very carefully. It’s
an old trophy now and it’s wood
so I was pretty nervous. I didn’t
want to be the one who breaks
the shield, it wouldn’t be such
a good story. There was a bit of
paperwork, it was a huge thing to
do, I think it was the first time it
had been out of the country.
What sort of work did you do
down there?
The work was different each
time, mostly up to three months
living and working down there
as part of the leadership team,
sometimes HR or training or
operational leadership support.
It was a huge privilege to get
down there to work and support
the science. I actually got to host
Sir David Attenborough in 2010
for dinner. It was a pinch-me
moment. He had come down to
the ice to film his Frozen Planet
series and to do his pieces to the
camera. Of course we invited the
team and Sir David over. I got to
sit next to him and have dinner.
You could just pose a question
and he would be off, he’s got
so many good stories. He’s
also got a wicked sense of
humour and is a wee bit naughty.
I loved his work when I was
growing up.
What does a day in your
role as president of the CRFU
consist of?
It’s fully a volunteer role,
which I do in the weekends and
evenings. I call it my second
job, I work full-time. It means
I represent the union and
Canterbury rugby community at
different events. You get invited
to attend as the figurehead of
Canterbury rugby, you might
be speaking or handing out
trophies, just connecting with
the community really. You’ve got
to be out and about connecting
PRIVILEGE: Julie Patterson in Antarctica with the Ranfurly Shield.
with the community from grass
roots up to visiting dignitaries,
provincial unions, that sort
of thing. It’s kind of cool; you
get to meet a lot of really neat
people. My Saturday starts at
some sort of junior game, when
there is frost still on the ground,
I’m pleased I’m not playing at
that point. I love watching kids
playing and enjoying it. In the
afternoon I will go out and
watch any club days, or go to
any finals or semi-finals. I try to
make sure I get across not only
metro rugby, but Ellesmere and
North Canterbury as well. It’s
always great to get out and see
different styles and levels from
kids playing rippa to division
one men’s and women’s. I get
the pleasure of going to all the
Crusaders and Canterbury home
games. I do site liaison work for
Super Rugby. That’s always good
to be doing something practical.
For Canterbury home games,
we are usually hosting people,
from the opposition to key
stakeholders, sponsors that sort
of thing. I mix and mingle with
those people and hear about what
is happening in their space.
We share ideas on how to
keep growing the game and
encouraging participation. We
had Bill Osborne, who is president
of New Zealand Rugby, down over
the weekend and I caught up with
him. I got invited along to the
Black Ferns capping that they had
here on Saturday night. Seventeen
more Black Ferns were capped;
quite a few were Canterbury girls.
It was a great pleasure to see them
getting their caps and celebrating
with them.
What do you hope to change
in this role?
I think this appointment is
a symbol of change, to change
people’s perception of Canterbury
rugby. It’s not as conservative,
traditional or male-dominated as
people might imagine. It’s just a
reflection that women have always
contributed and this is a great way
of recognising that it is a game
that is inclusive. It’s not about
gender; it’s about contribution and
passion.
Who has inspired you to get
to this point?
I have been hugely influenced by
the people at the university club.
Initially, that was Laurie O’Reilly,
he was one of my first coaches. He
was a huge supporter of diversity,
inclusively and encouragement. It
was his vision that continued to
build what we as a club and then
as a province and nationally have
been able to do in the women’s
space. He was a great technical
coach. Without him, women’s
rugby wouldn’t be in the position
it is today. I wouldn’t be the first
president of Canterbury rugby
if I hadn’t met him and been
encouraged by him. Of course
there are others too. Ivan Bolton
was the president at the university
club when I started there in the
mid-80s. He’s in his late 80s now
but is still contributing.
He recently got a lifetime
achievement award from Sport
Canterbury and from the
university’s Blues committee.
Its people like them that always
just encourage and support you
to do things and haven’t put any
barriers in the way.
They challenged me to go
beyond the normal pathway.
Laurie took us on a tour as the
University girls (team) to the
United States and Europe in 1988.
We played over seven weeks and
every second or third day we
played a game. The friendship and
memories we created, it’s those
sorts of bonds that are special in
rugby.
That’s why I’d like others to
have their own journey, but also
make those friendships which are
really important.
Who are your favourite All
Blacks of all time?
For me, Dan Carter and Richie
McCaw are pretty special. There
is that Southbridge connection
with Dan, I remember him as a
kid growing up. I had a friend that
used to tell people she babysat
him. I used to say ‘you know that’s
not true’ and she would say ‘oh
but you could have.’ Yes, if his
parents had of asked me I could
have. I’m sure I babysat some of
his classmates. I knew as a child
he had a goalpost, his dad had
made it for him and he spent a lot
of time kicking the ball around.
I remember seeing him kicking a
ball around but no one predicted
as a five or six-year-old that he
would do what he’s managed to
achieve.
What do you like to do outside
of rugby?
I work in HR. I am a people
business partner, HR manager,
for an engineering consultancy.
Outside of rugby I enjoy
photography, movies, art, music.
I enjoy people and landscape
photography, going down to the
ice, it’s not very difficult to take a
good photo in Antarctica.
Tell me about your family –
are you married/have kids?
No, I have no husband and
no children. I like to call myself
unclaimed treasure. I have three
older sisters, they all have kids
who are all sort of grown up now.
We have a big extended family,
mum was from a family of 12 and
dad from six. It was busy.
What will Canterbury rugby
look like in 10 years? Will we
have a new stadium?
I hope we continue to grow the
game and that participation levels
grow, whether it’s the men’s and
women’s game. I want people to
be engaging if they aren’t playing,
referees, managing, coaching,
helping run the competitions
and clubs. Everyone plays a part.
I will be disappointed if we don’t
have a stadium in 10 years. We
desperately need one with a roof
in order to secure internationals,
not just for rugby but as a multisport
facility. We really need that
to continue the re-build.