Rugby: Former joker serious about Magpies role

OPERATIONS KING: New Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby team manager Terry Gittings checks out a draft of the season schedule. PHOTO/Duncan Brown

Google television character Gomer Pyle and picture Hawke's Bay rugby personality Terry Gittings imitating him during his secondary school days.

For those who are still on holiday and haven't got access to a computer, Pyle was initially a character portrayed by Jim Nabors on The Andy Griffith Show before becoming his own show. He was a good-natured naive single man with a high tenor speaking voice from Mayberry in North Carolina and the sole employee at Wally's Filling Station.

"I got the nickname Gomer because I acted like him at St John's College," Gittings recalled.

As good as Gittings was at acting the fool at school, there has been nothing fool-like during the Napier Old Boys Marist stalwart's days as a rugby administrator. His classy organisational skills, particularly in recent years as club chairman and delegate to the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union, has seen him appointed as the new Magpies team manager for this season.

Gittings, 52, replaces Derek "Danger" Martin who had the job for the past two seasons but has stood down because of increasing work and family commitments.

A former loosie who retired from playing at division three level in 2013, Gittings, has been an operations manager with Aotearoa Fisheries Limited for the past 26 years and will continue this role while managing the Magpies.

"I see my experience in operations and communication as strengths I can bring to the role. I pride myself in communication and ticking every box which comes with it," Gittings said yesterday before heading south to prepare for another of his passions, the Wellington Cup race meeting at Trentham today.

"I'm really looked forward to taking on the role and being part of a highly successful Magpies setup. I've been a Magpie all my life and it will be an honour to be able to be part of a highly experienced management team."

While never a regular premier club player or a Hawke's Bay rep player, Gittings, played in some handy under-23 teams, NOBM lower grade sides and the St John's College 2nd XV in his younger days.

"There were too many good players around when I wanted to make the 1st XV and it was the same when I hoped to become a regular premier player," Gittings recalled.

Previous Magpies managers from his club in recent years include Neil Weber and Bill Reilly. Gittings won't be short of advice if it's required.

When quizzed on whether or not crayfish could become a new form of incentive payments for the Magpies, Gittings replied:

"I better not comment on that one because the boss might read it."

"We had discussions with four excellent candidates for the role and Terry was the standout," union CEO Mike Bishop said yesterday when announcing the appointment.

"His many years of experience on the local club rugby scene along with his highly professional organisational skills showed us that he will do great job," Bishop added.

Magpies head coach Craig Philpott said Gittings "demonstrated a real passion for the Magpies role".

"Terry has a natural rapport with people and has already had experience at a professional rugby level, having been a liaison officer for the All Blacks around the 2014 test hosted in Napier," Philpott added.