Halftime wedding for East Coast coach

East Coast rugby coach Duane Poulsen was in celebratory mode well before his team chalked up their maiden win in the Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Union’s Tui Cup premier division competition with a 15-10 defeat of Martinborough at Whareama on Saturday.

In fact, Poulsen spent most of the second half sipping champagne at the side of his wife, Lou (nee How), who he married in a brief ceremony staged between the goalposts during the halftime break.

“I told my assistant, Ritchie (Robertson), that he was in charge in the second half … I had other things to think about,” Poulsen told the Times-Age yesterday.

“But don’t worry I was keeping my eye on the rugby. When the rains came I thought we could pull this one off and I was rapt for the boys.”

Poulsen said June 19 would always be a day to remember for him and his new bride.

They had met for the first time at a party at Wainuioru on that date in 2010, a meeting which was cut short when Poulsen had to leave in the early hours of the next morning to ready himself for rugby later that day.

“Rugby has always been a huge part of my life, I guess you could say I’m a bit of a fanatic,” Poulsen said. “It’s probably just as well Lou got a taste of it so early, it’s made my life a lot easier, that’s for sure.”

As it happens it was Lou who decided the couple should tie the knot during the halftime break in Saturday’s match. They had decided on June 19 for the big day and when informed by her husband-to-be that it would clash with his rugby commitments she simply said not to worry, she would come to him. “We thought why not do it at halftime,” Poulsen said.

“We only told a few mates so it was a bit of surprise for most people.

“We made sure the JP knew we only had 15 minutes or so to get it over, there was a rugby game to watch.”

Poulsen admits, however, that even though they got married on a rugby ground he’s not holding his breath about his wife sharing his great passion for the sport. “I think about the only thing she relates to in rugby is Daniel Carter … I reckon he might have been the first choice for husband had he been available.”

For Robertson, the marriage ceremony did create one problem, how to keep his players focused during the halftime team talk.

“I had them face in the opposite direction to the goalposts where everything was happening … it seemed to work okay.”

By Gary Caffell – Wairarapa Times-Age