COACHING STAFF
Our coaching staff have a variety of experience with clubs in and around the Hunter. They are passionate about the success of the team, the university and the students academic careers, in addition to their rugby life.
SAM BERRy (#1506)
HEAD COACH
ARU Level II Accreditation
0422 106 109
Sam has been involved with Uni since 2003 after arriving as a young 18 year old from Muswellbrook. Sam has played nearly 250 games for Uni, mostly in first grade, and is now turning his efforts to coaching. Sam coached 2nd grade to the semi finals in 2017 and has assisted with first grade while still playing for the last 3 years. He represented Newcastle with current coaches Matt Dun and Lucas Mcbeath in 2008-2011 winning the Country Championship in each year. Sam is a current Level 2 accredited coach.
Assistant Coach/Forwards- Matt Dun (#1580)
Joined the mighty Seahorses in 2004 after serving for nine years in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Submarine Squadron. During his time in the RAN, Matt played first grade for Rockingham in Western Australia and Chatswood in Sydney Subbies. Privileged to play almost 100 games for the Seahorses and to have represented the NHRU Wildfire and NSW Country Cockatoos almost 50 times. Matt is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences at UON, decorated with a UON Blue for Rugby, NHRU Representative Player of the Year and NSW Country Championships Player of the Tournament.
Backs Coach- Tana Manu (#2435)
Joined the Seahorses in 2020 after arriving from NZ post Xmas 2019. Season was canned due to Covid but managed to debut and get the W vs Singleton in 2021 while also playing in the Hunter Valley Wildfires in 2021 Shute Shield.
CAMPBELL THOMPSON (#2280)
2nd Grade coach
Campbell has been involved with Uni Rugby since 2018 as a player and student. He has been a NSW Rugby Development Officer for 4 years and was a part of the coaching staff for the Rowlands Cup winning Hunter Colts side that came first place at 2021 Country Championships.
Tom Torrance (#1645)
3rd GRADE COACH
Assistant Coach - Dylan Nagle (#2175)
Dylan was involved in Uni rugby in 2015 and 2016, coming to the club from playing club rugby in Brisbane. Dylan captained first grade in 2016 having played most of 2015 in second grade. Dylan moved to Melbourne in 2017 to coach representative Touch a rugby League and has returned this year to assistant coach third grade to build his rugby Union coaching career.
Assistant Coach - Brad Roberts (#1975)
Brad joined the seahorses in 2011 after arriving from Goulburn as a 19 year old. Since then, he has played over 100 club games and covered every position in the backline. Career highlights have included scoring a first-grade hat-trick at home, in front of a rowdy-old boy’s day crowd, and playing against the likes of Francois Steyn in Uni’s 2014 rugby tour of Japan. After a few years away, he has made a comeback to manage and assist the 3rd grade coaches.
Dave 'Zinger' Montgomery (#1296)
womens COACH
Joined Uni Rugby in the middle of the 1997 season answering a mate’s SOS due to Uni holidays. Have played across all grades at the club mostly as a sound but unspectacular front row, with two 1st Grade GF appearances in 2003 and 2006. Turned to coaching in 2008 and have coached 2nd Grade and Womens a few times since then - getting a Womens Premiership in 2012 as coach.
Assistant Coach- Margaret Watson (#0148)
