Waikato’s 20-22 historic win over Canterbury in Christchurch in the 2021 Farah Palmer Cup (FPC) Premiership Final was the first national title for the province in the women’s game, led by head coach, James Semple, who took over the role in 2020. 

Semple began his coaching career in Scotland when on his OE, working as a coach development and coach educator at the Scotland rugby union. “So I got into coaching, because as a player, I obviously always wanted to be an All Black, but unfortunately, that didn't work out. 

So I went overseas to Scotland, as I wanted to travel the world and while over there was lucky enough to get a coaching and playing role with the Scotland rugby union. As soon as I started coaching, I got a real buzz out of it, helping people grow, then seeing my coaching points being put into action, I've found that really rewarding.” said James Semple. 

In 2017 Semple returned to New Zealand and took up a rugby development role at Waikato Rugby. From there Semple worked in the community and was assigned around 12 clubs and 10 schools to help develop their rugby before securing an assistant coaching role with the Waikato FPC side.

After two seasons as the assistant coach of Waikato FPC, Semple took up an assistant coach/player role at the Utah Warriors in the Major League Rugby (MLR) competition in North America. At the end of that season Semple again returned to New Zealand returning once again to Hamilton and took up a role at Hamilton Old Boys as their Premiership side head coach in 2020.

That same year he was successful in securing the head coach role for the Waikato FPC side, a team that he was already familiar with. “I coached Old boys for a season and then ended up getting me the Farah Palmer Cup for two years as head coach. 

And yeah, that was an amazing experience, the best rugby coaching experience to this day.” said Semple about his experience with Waikato FPC. 

During the 2020 season he led the women to their first final against Canterbury in Christchurch but unfortunately the team came up short 8-7. Semple helped out as an assistant coach of the Chiefs Women’s team in the early parts of 2021 and remained as the head coach helping to lead the team to their first ever Premiership title in the Farah Palmer Cup.   

After the 2021 season Semple was contracted by the Blues Super Rugby Aupiki team as an assistant coach. He also lent a hand with local Waikato Premiership club side United Matamata Sports before being a part of the Black Ferns trail as one of the coaches of Team Rawata.  

So far in 2023, James Semple, has returned back to America to take up the head coach role at MLR team, Rugby New York Ironworkers.   

Waikato Rugby in 2023  are seeking a new head coach for the Waikato FPC team and for the first time the role will be a fixed-term contract with a remuneration package to help entice the next group of coaches coming through. Semple agrees this is the right for Waikato Rugby as the women’s game is going to have huge growth, “I think it's really timely and necessary for this to happen. Just jumping on the back of what the Black Ferns did for the game in New Zealand. But there's gonna be massive growth in the women's game.

Because rugby, I see, is a sport for everyone and if we can put that into our women, for Waikato Rugby to start paying the coach, I think this will attract some really good coaches as well, which will keep New Zealand at the top of its game.”

Article added: Tuesday 21 February 2023