Board
SJRU Board of Directors
George Roper
About George – George Roper is the current Chair of the SJRU since the end of 2021 and has been actively involved in various roles in junior rugby for the last 8 years. Most recently he served as club President of Wahroonga Rugby Club from 2017 to 2021 which made him the longest concurrent serving club president in the club’s 60 years of existence.
Apart from his involvement in Junior rugby, his rugby experience includes more than 10 years as a senior rugby referee and he is still active as referee for Junior and school rugby in Sydney.
George’s career background as a Chartered Accountant provides strong focus on strategy and governance.
Fiona Lawson
About Fiona – Elected to the SJRU board in 2019- Various club roles including
2018-2019 Sylvania Bulldog’s Vice President- 2017- Current Sylvania Bulldogs Jnrs Coordinator -2011-2012 Vice President Engadine Lions Juniors rugby Union club 2010-2011 Treasurer Engadine Lions. Current girls coordinator Sylvania bulldogs junior rugby club. Over the 14 years there is not many jobs I haven’t done. But finally in 2021 ventured into the world of coaching !
Currently employed as an accounts assistant, busy mum of 2. In the rugby off season I like to read, long distance running and exercising.
Apart from his involvement in Junior rugby, his rugby experience includes more than 10 years as a senior rugby referee and he is still active as referee for Junior and school rugby in Sydney.
George’s career background as a Chartered Accountant provides strong focus on strategy and governance.
Sheila Mitchell
About Sheila – Secretary 2015,2016 – Rockdale JRUFC, Treasurer 2017 – Rockdale JRUFC, Apparel Manager 2017 – Rockdale JRUFC, Registrar 2020, 2021, 2022, Girls Coordinator 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 – Rockdale JRUFC, Senior VP 2018, 2019- Southern Districts Juniors, Friday Competition Board Director – 2021 current
A Surgical Bookings administrator at RPAH. A mother to 2. Son started playing rugby when he was 3 1/2 years old and playing in SJRU XV’s competition. Daughter started playing at 7 years old and currently playing in U17/18 Girls 7s competition. Sheila’s husband Chris, is the current President of Rockdale JRUFC and has held every position for the past 10 years including coach (minis, juniors and reps), VP, and anything else you can think of.
Likes: travelling, keeping fit and spending time with friends and family
Michele Biet
About Michele – Wahroonga Tigers executive committee 2011-2021. SJRU board 2019-current Barker College Parent Association – Vice President 2019-current.
An early childhood educator, Mother to 4, Grandmother to 2. Likes: Pilates, Yoga, Cooking, Reading and her family.
Michael Clark
About Michael – Michael Clark is the current Northern Zone Director, and has been involved with junior rugby since 2006 with the Seaforth-Balgowlah Raiders and within the Manly District.
Michael has experience across most on and off field roles at club level, and outside of rugby has a diverse background across private and public sector roles, community and NFP Boards and Committees and is co-founder of a bespoke consulting business.
Michael’s wife is another rugby volunteer, and he is a father of 4 sons, three who play in Sydney Junior Rugby competitions
Bernard Tuaimau
About Bernard – Western Zone Director elected in 2021 who also hold committee roles with both Penrith RSL and PDJRU.
Outside of rugby Bernard has a diverse background across private and public sector roles, and community and NFP Boards with a particular focus on Pacific Diaspora communitie. He has worked with various sporting codes. Bernard is a director and principal of an insurance & Risk business.
Bernard’s wife is another rugby volunteer, and he is a father of 4 daughters , 2 sons who play in Sydney Junior Rugby competition, and Shute Shield.
Nik Ruparel
Elected 2022 for the 2023 season
About Nik – Nik has 2 children – son aged 12 and a daughter aged 9.
Both of his kids have played rugby since the U6’s for Mosman Junior Rugby Club (MJRC). He have coached his son’s team from U6 and will continue to do so as he enters the U13’s. He have been actively involved in his daughter’s rugby who has played mixed rugby since U6 and last season she also joined the girl’s program and will continue both forms as she enters U10.
Nik has been a Committee Member for MJRC for the last 5 years. The first 3 years were as Gear/Merchandise Manager, dare we say was a “baptism of fire” and provided him great insight into the main operations of the club given the varied nature of the role, which included managing inventory, stock ordering, sales, reviewing and renegotiating contracts, tours.
The last 2 years he has been as Treasurer, where I have been working closely with the President to ensure they continue to invest wisely in the Club, look at opportunities for growth, build closer ties with the local community and continue to grow junior participation in the game. Naturally, his focus is to ensure the Club is managed well financially, and they are making sound financial decisions.
Nik’s whole family is actively involved and passionate about the game of rugby.
Murray Ashby
About Murray – Murray’s journey with rugby union commenced in 2013 when his son started minis in the U6s. In 2018 his daughter also joined playing in the inaugural Sydney North all-girls competition.
Between them, his children have collectively played 15 years of rugby union and remain active players in their respective school-based competitions. Both children have also now transitioned and are active qualified rugby union referees with SNRR.
In 2016 Murray championed the inaugural Tiger Cup, an annual gala day focused on participation for our youngest players in the U6 and U7s. This event hosts up to 480 players each year in an end of season celebratory ‘fun’ event. I have been the Tiger Cup gala coordinator since its inception. In the 10 years since starting rugby, Murray has held numerous Club and School positions including 7 years as the Honorary Secretary at Wahroonga. He has experience as a volunteer at grass roots team level, as a School committee member, organising galas, as a parent of young referees and have spent more hours than we could count on the side lines of rugby games.
Lisa Rothwell
About Lisa – Lisa Rothwell is the current Minis Director, and has been involved with junior rugby since 2014 with Lindfield Junior Rugby and within the Gordon District.
Lisa has experience across most executive roles at club level, and also minis at a district level. She has been on the board as Minis Director for three years.
Lisa is mother to a son and daughter both of whom play in Sydney Junior Rugby competitions
Competition Management Team
Ben Gregory
About Ben – A long time servant of junior rugby, Ben officially joined SJRU as General Manager in October 2021. Having served as a Junior Club President, Secretary and countless other roles at Hunters Hill Juniors – he served over 15 seasons on committee at his local junior club.
Ben previously joined the Board of SJRU in 2009 and spent a number of years in the SJRU Grading, Development and Representative Portfolios till 2015. He joined NSWJRU in 2014 as VP of Reps, until 2017 when he became President of NSW Juniors. He was also a Director of NSWRU & Waratahs from 2018-2021. He stepped down from the NSWRU & Waratahs Board and as President of NSW Juniors to accept the role of GM at SJRU. He is currently the VP of Reps for NSWJRU as well.
Ben was awarded Life Member #4 of SJRU in 2020. He is also Life Member #32 of Hunters Hill Rugby and Life Member #24 of NSW Juniors.
