Murray Henderson (Rugby Coach)
Encyclopedia
Murray Henderson was a New Zealand rugby union player and is a current coach. He had a successful rugby union
playing career including provincial and national representation. He is now a professional rugby coach, coaching club, university and national sides.
Henderson retired from the Army following 20 years’ service and qualified as a Les Mills
Personal Trainer prior to setting up a sports consulting company. The key focus for this company was personal training, rugby team fitness and team building for both NZ and overseas teams. The focus broadened to include corporate team building/development. Henderson moved into professional rugby coaching in 2002.
In 1984, he debuted for Manawatu
at flanker (No.7) and the following year became the side’s outstanding player. Injuries hampered his 1986 season but the following year he was made captain until he was surprisingly dropped from both the leadership and the team late in the season. He played 37 games for Manawatu before transferring with the Army to Christchurch.
He played 16 games for Canterbury
(1988/89) at flanker playing alongside Robbie Deans
, Andy Earl and Wayne Smith
.
A third transfer in 1992 took him to Nelson where he captained 3rd division Nelson Bays
. In his first year with the side, Henderson led the team through a record unbeaten season to win the 3rd Division National Provincial Championship (NPC) and promotion to the second division. It also earned him the Supporters' Club Player of the Season award.
Henderson also captained both the New Zealand Army rugby team and the NZ Combined Services team, touring the UK twice with the NZ Combined Services and returning home undefeated.
In 1986, Brian Lachore's panel selected Henderson for an All Black trial but a knee injuy robbed him of the opportunity and he underwent surgery a month before the trial.
As a rugby sevens players, Henderson represented Manawatu (1983–87) and Canterbury (1988–89) with Canterbury coming second in the National Finals under Wayne Smith.
Henderson left New Zealand in 2001 to commence his professional coaching career with Sanyo Rugby
in Japan and was instrumental in founding a feeder relationship between Sanyo and top rugby University Kanto Gakuin
(KGU), as well as facilitating a commercial alliance between Sanyo and the Canterbury Rugby Union. Henderson was with Sanyo as Head Coach for 3 years, moving to KGU and Kurita for a further year before returning to New Zealand at the end of 2005.
In 2006, Henderson was Head Coach for Tasman Makos
B team while at the same time operating as Technical Coach and video analyst for the Tasman A team.
However, the northern hemisphere called and he headed to Coventry Rugby Club
in January 2007, helping them to avoid relegation, before contracting as Head Coach the following season.
In 2008, Henderson accepted the role of Specialist Forward coach for the Portugal National Rugby Federation
. At the completion of that 2 year contract he left Portugal to take up the Head Coach position with the Oxford University Blues
in September 2010 and also consults for the RFU to deliver specialist coaching seminars to coaches and teams within the UK.
was a New Zealand Welterweight boxer who won a gold medal at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
.
Great uncle Dick Dunn
was also a keen sportsman who played 52 consecutive seasons of senior cricket and rose to coach the New Zealand women's cricket team. Boxing was also a passion and Dunn established boxing gyms training children off the street as well as notable champions such as Commonwealth gold medallists Wally Coe and Frank Creagh
.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
playing career including provincial and national representation. He is now a professional rugby coach, coaching club, university and national sides.
Early career
Henderson joined the New Zealand Army cadets in 1976. A series of promotions led to his appointment as Head Cadet and Regimental Sergeant Major. Following the completion of the two year programme, he joined the Regular Forces Engineer Corps and completed a carpentry apprenticeship. His career in the Army spanned 20 years during which time he worked on commercial construction projects, field engineering including demolitions and civilian aid projects in the South Pacific. His ability to teach was recognised, with forays into physical education as an Assistant Physical Training Instructor and into teaching, as an Instructor at the School of Military Engineering. His people skills and range of experiences within the army led him into Army Recruiting, ultimately being based at the National Office overseeing regional recruiting. During his time in the Army, Henderson played both NZ Army and NZ Combined Services Rugby.Henderson retired from the Army following 20 years’ service and qualified as a Les Mills
Les Mills
Leslie Roy Mills CNZM, MBE, is a retired New Zealand athlete, who represented New Zealand at Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games over two decades. He competed in shot put, discus and weightlifting events...
Personal Trainer prior to setting up a sports consulting company. The key focus for this company was personal training, rugby team fitness and team building for both NZ and overseas teams. The focus broadened to include corporate team building/development. Henderson moved into professional rugby coaching in 2002.
Playing career
Henderson played for three New Zealand Provincial Rugby unions, captaining two of the teams.In 1984, he debuted for Manawatu
Manawatu Rugby Union
Manawatu Rugby Union is the governing body of the sport of Rugby union in the Manawatu rugby province. The Union is based in the city of Palmerston North but has a catchment area from nearby towns in the province, including Feilding, Rongotea, Linton, Bulls, Pahiatua, Dannevirke and...
at flanker (No.7) and the following year became the side’s outstanding player. Injuries hampered his 1986 season but the following year he was made captain until he was surprisingly dropped from both the leadership and the team late in the season. He played 37 games for Manawatu before transferring with the Army to Christchurch.
He played 16 games for Canterbury
Canterbury Rugby Football Union
The Canterbury Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in a substantial part of the Canterbury region, in the middle of the South Island of New Zealand...
(1988/89) at flanker playing alongside Robbie Deans
Robbie Deans
Robert Maxwell Deans is the current coach of the Wallabies and former All Black. He is the former coach of the Crusaders. He also served as assistant to former All Blacks coach John Mitchell between late 2001 and 2003...
, Andy Earl and Wayne Smith
Wayne Smith (rugby player)
Wayne Ross Smith is a former rugby union footballer, and currently a rugby union coach. He is currently the backs coach for New Zealand's national rugby union team the All Blacks. He played provincial rugby for Canterbury and became an All Black in 1980. He played first five-eighth, gaining 35...
.
A third transfer in 1992 took him to Nelson where he captained 3rd division Nelson Bays
Nelson Bays Rugby Union
Nelson Bays Rugby Union was a New Zealand rugby union team that played from 1968-2005.Nelson Bays was founded in 1968 when Nelson merged with Golden Bay-Motueka and played until 2005 when they joined with Marlborough to become Tasman Rugby Union in 2006....
. In his first year with the side, Henderson led the team through a record unbeaten season to win the 3rd Division National Provincial Championship (NPC) and promotion to the second division. It also earned him the Supporters' Club Player of the Season award.
Henderson also captained both the New Zealand Army rugby team and the NZ Combined Services team, touring the UK twice with the NZ Combined Services and returning home undefeated.
In 1986, Brian Lachore's panel selected Henderson for an All Black trial but a knee injuy robbed him of the opportunity and he underwent surgery a month before the trial.
As a rugby sevens players, Henderson represented Manawatu (1983–87) and Canterbury (1988–89) with Canterbury coming second in the National Finals under Wayne Smith.
Coaching career
Henderson, as Head Coach, was involved in Canterbury age grade rugby in a coaching partnership with backs coach and former Canterbury fly half Greg Coffey. In 1999, in partnership with former All Black Craig Green, Henderson coached the Canterbury Crusaders U21 side to victory in the inaugural Super 12 U21 competition. He reconnected with Greg Coffey in 2000 to draw the competition and to finish second the following year.Henderson left New Zealand in 2001 to commence his professional coaching career with Sanyo Rugby
Sanyo Wild Knights
Panasonic Wild Knights is a Japanese rugby union team based in Ōta city, Gunma prefecture which plays in the Top League. Inspired by Tony Brown at fly half , it dominated the league in the fifth season and was the first team to be unbeaten throughout a Top League season.All-Japan Champions:...
in Japan and was instrumental in founding a feeder relationship between Sanyo and top rugby University Kanto Gakuin
Kanto Gakuin University
is a private university located in Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The school's official English name is Mabie Memorial School.-History:It traces its roots to The Baptist Theological Seminary of Yokohama established by Albert Arnold Bennett, a missionary of the American Baptist Missionary Union, in...
(KGU), as well as facilitating a commercial alliance between Sanyo and the Canterbury Rugby Union. Henderson was with Sanyo as Head Coach for 3 years, moving to KGU and Kurita for a further year before returning to New Zealand at the end of 2005.
In 2006, Henderson was Head Coach for Tasman Makos
Tasman Rugby Union
The Tasman Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union at the top of the South Island in New Zealand. It is New Zealand's newest provincial union, founded in 2006 with the amalgamation of the existing Marlborough and Nelson Bays sub unions...
B team while at the same time operating as Technical Coach and video analyst for the Tasman A team.
However, the northern hemisphere called and he headed to Coventry Rugby Club
Coventry R.F.C.
Coventry Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in the city of Coventry, England. The club enjoyed national success during the 1960s and the 1970s, with many of its players playing for their countries....
in January 2007, helping them to avoid relegation, before contracting as Head Coach the following season.
In 2008, Henderson accepted the role of Specialist Forward coach for the Portugal National Rugby Federation
Portugal national rugby union team
The Portugal national rugby union team is a third tier rugby union side representing Portugal. They first played in 1935 and now compete in the European Nations Cup. Rugby union in Portugal is administered by the Federação Portuguesa de Rugby. Portugal qualified for their first Rugby World Cup in...
. At the completion of that 2 year contract he left Portugal to take up the Head Coach position with the Oxford University Blues
Oxford University RFC
The Oxford University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham.-History:...
in September 2010 and also consults for the RFU to deliver specialist coaching seminars to coaches and teams within the UK.
Notable family members
Murray Henderson comes from a competitive sporting family. His uncle Wally CoeWallace Coe
Wallace Coe is a former New Zealand boxer.He won the gold medal in the men's 64 - 69kg division at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.-References:...
was a New Zealand Welterweight boxer who won a gold medal at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
The 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Perth, Western Australia, Australia from 22 November-1 December 1962. Athletic events were held at Perry Lakes Stadium in the suburb of Floreat and swimming events at Beatty Park in North Perth....
.
Great uncle Dick Dunn
Dick Dunn
Richard 'Dick' Dunn OAM was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership .Dunn played 134 matches for the Eastern Suburbs club in the years...
was also a keen sportsman who played 52 consecutive seasons of senior cricket and rose to coach the New Zealand women's cricket team. Boxing was also a passion and Dunn established boxing gyms training children off the street as well as notable champions such as Commonwealth gold medallists Wally Coe and Frank Creagh
Frank Creagh
Frank Creagh was a former New Zealand boxer.He won the gold medal in the men's heavyweight division at the 1950 British Empire Games.-References:...
.