Andrew Melville made a nostalgic return to Dunedin yesterday as coach of the Newbridge College rugby team that played games against Kings High School and Otago Boys.
Melville (35) was back at his old school, Kings, to watch his Newbridge First XV beat the home side 26-7.
The B team drew 13-13 with the Otago Boys Second XV.
Newbridge College is in the small village of Newbridge, which is 40 minutes' drive from Dublin, Ireland.
The school group, comprising 38 boys and a support staff of eight, is on a month-long tour of Australia and New Zealand.
Before coming to New Zealand, Newbridge played the Canberra Royal Club, with the A team winning 33-17 and the B team 54-6.
Melville has been coaching the school for the past eight years and has brought the squad to New Zealand to gain experience.
"We are here to play good, hard games," Melville told the Otago Daily Times.
"We are just outside the top six Irish schools at the moment and we want to be part of that elite group."
Melville was a member of the Kings First XV and played premier rugby in Dunedin as a No 8 for the Zingari-Richmond club before accepting a 10-year contract with the Carlow Rugby Club in Ireland.
He has been player-coach for the Tullamore Club for the past six years.
His brother, Stephen (33), also lives in Ireland.
The Melville brothers are the sons of Carol and Stuart Melville.
Stuart Melville was one of New Zealand's best middle-distance runners in the 1970s when he won five New Zealand senior titles and competed in the 800m at the 1974 Commonwealth Games.
The Newbridge College team leaves for Queenstown today and will play Mount Aspiring College in Wanaka on Saturday.
Other games are scheduled against St Bedes (Christchurch) and Auckland Grammar.
