Karina Nafatali is just your normal run-of-the-mill coach.
Loves her players, wants to win and admits she sometimes yells too much on the sideline.
But she is different, in a way showing there are no boundaries for women keen to be involved in rugby.
Nafatali (44), the head coach of the Kaikorai Valley College First XV, is believed to be the first woman to coach a First XV in Dunedin.
Nafatali, a former Otago Spirit forward, and a teacher at the school, helped coach the team last year, and also coached a girls rugby team at the school, but this is the first season she has held the title of head coach.
She said it had all been going to plan so far and being a woman in what many perceive as a man's game was proving no handicap.
''I am really enjoying it. The boys have been totally accepting, and I haven't had any problems at all with them,'' she said.
''They have been a breath of fresh air. I do suppose I have the advantage of being a teacher here at the school and I have known a lot of them since year 9 and 10 and they know me.''
''The parents have been really good. In fact, the only time it has been different was when a referee comes along and does not come to me as the coach and goes to someone else. But they soon point out that I am the coach.''
She coached the Pirates women's team, which had won the banner in 2011, so had some coaching experience behind her.
Nafatali said she tried not to be a ranter or a sideline yeller but sometimes the emotions got the better of her.
''I suppose I do tend to yell and shout a bit but it is only in an excited way. Just trying to give encouragement to the boys. I get a lot of help from other people.''
She started coaching rugby at the school when her niece, Victoria, a Black Ferns triallist, wanted to play and the school decided to form a girls team, combined with players from other co-educational schools in Dunedin.
The girls team had some success and she wanted to go to the next level.
She said coaching boys was different from coaching girls.
''The thing with boys, many of them have been playing the game since they were little so they have a skill level which is different than girls. Some of our boys have played for a long time.
''Though we are not in the Highlanders First XV competition, some of our boys could be and they have some real talent.
''With fitness I suppose I am a bit of a hard taskmaster. I do expect the boys to do a lot of it themselves and we are getting fitter.''
The side has only played a couple of competition games so far - thanks to a bye and wet weather cancelling one round - for a win and a loss. It is the first time for a good while the team has been in the Otago Metropolitan under-18 grade.
The side had a good interschool victory over Riccarton High School last month, the first win away from home for many years.
She said the the Zingari-Richmond club had really helped the team with the use of its facilities and supplying gear.
Kaikorai Valley College deputy principal Garry Chronican, who is also the New Zealand Secondary Schools Rugby Council chairman, said Nafatali was a top-quality coach, to whom the boys had really responded and they respected her.
They were keen to play for her, and she had the support of everyone in the school.
