After many years away for the "Ranga" the club is pleased to announce to members the home coming of Scott Palmer as an assistant coach in the premier programme for 2016.

Scott grew up in Pakuranga going to Elm Park Primary School and Pakuranga Intermediate and played Junior Rugby with PURC from under 5's to Under 12's. He spent alot of his adolescent years at the club following his father Allan Palmer playing Presidents like many of our youngsters do today. Interestingly at that time the Presidents took the initiative and started the inaugural touch competition in 1982 which still runs today!

After spending 5 years at College in the Manawatu (Hato Paora College), Scott returned to Auckland to study Sports Management and Coaching at Massey University. He played club rugby for Marist and was selected for the Auckland Under 19's, 21's. He also spent 2 years in the Auckland Academy. In 1998 he was selected to play in the first New Zealand Maori Colts Team against Japan A. In 1999 Scott departed for Italy and after 3 years playing there was selected to represent Italy, debuting in 2002 against Argentina and going on to accumulate 12 caps, scoring 2 tries. Scott played in the 2003 and 2004 Six Nations tournament and at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia. He played the majority of his career at Benetton Treviso but also had stints at Petrarca Padova, Venezia Mestre and Reggio Calabria where he began his coaching career professionally.

Returning to NZ earlier this season Scott assisted with the Marist Under 21's and also the Auckland Colts. The colts have Ranga players Sam Thomas and Max East in it, both of whom have captained the team on occasions this season.

Welcolm home Scott it's been a long wait!