Harry Robertson - Player
It is hard to believe that the scrumhalf that drove the Saracen pack in seven of eight of the 1979-86
Saracen RFC Championship Hall of Fame teams started his Rugby career at River Heights Junior High. He
played his first year in grade 8 with lifelong friends Tim Kelly, Jon Siddall, Jamie Casey and Brian
Twomey.
The next fall, Harry transferred to St. John’s High School and the rest is history. St. John’s won the first
Junior High Championship and he helped lead St. John’s to championships in his 3 years in Senior High.
Harry was part of the group of St. John’s Senior Teams that never lost a game on North American soil
and was instrumental in inspiring the St. John’s 1977 touring team to a winning record in England and
undefeated in Chicago.
If ever there was a “high school draft” of graduating players from the 1977 school year, many in the day
would certainly have had Harry a top contender for first overall pick.
After high school, Harry committed to the Saracens RFC. Harry played Provincial Rugby at the U-20 level
from 1976 to 1979. It was in Fredericton, New Brunswick in 1979 that Harry’s play was finally noticed as
he was selected as part of the Canadian National U-20 program and was to attend camp in Regina along
with fellow Saracens, Jim Babiuk and Rick Romsa.
Although his representation at the Senior Provincial level was limited to a few years, Harry was
instrumental in the Manitoba win over Alberta in 1980. He drove the forwards and his confidence and
encouragement helped the pack mercilessly defend as well as score two push over tries. Due to family
and work commitments, Harry left the playing field in the late 80’s but came back in 1997 to lead the
Saracen young lads to a second division provincial championship.
Harry continued to remain active as a club and colts coach and served on the club executive as well. In
2008 Harry restarted the dormant high school Rugby program at Tuxedo Shaftsbury and led that
program for next ten years. To this day, he is still involved in youth rugby at the grassroots level.
Harry was an exceptional player with great quickness, not only with his feet and hands but on reading
the field. During his tenure with the 1979-86 Saracens, he had the inevitable task of appeasing both the
forwards and the backs. There was only one ball but Harry made sure everyone was content. His
teammates would go through a brick wall for him and he was highly regarded by everyone he played
with and against.
It is hard to believe that the scrumhalf that drove the Saracen pack in seven of eight of the 1979-86
Saracen RFC Championship Hall of Fame teams started his Rugby career at River Heights Junior High. He
played his first year in grade 8 with lifelong friends Tim Kelly, Jon Siddall, Jamie Casey and Brian
Twomey.
The next fall, Harry transferred to St. John’s High School and the rest is history. St. John’s won the first
Junior High Championship and he helped lead St. John’s to championships in his 3 years in Senior High.
Harry was part of the group of St. John’s Senior Teams that never lost a game on North American soil
and was instrumental in inspiring the St. John’s 1977 touring team to a winning record in England and
undefeated in Chicago.
If ever there was a “high school draft” of graduating players from the 1977 school year, many in the day
would certainly have had Harry a top contender for first overall pick.
After high school, Harry committed to the Saracens RFC. Harry played Provincial Rugby at the U-20 level
from 1976 to 1979. It was in Fredericton, New Brunswick in 1979 that Harry’s play was finally noticed as
he was selected as part of the Canadian National U-20 program and was to attend camp in Regina along
with fellow Saracens, Jim Babiuk and Rick Romsa.
Although his representation at the Senior Provincial level was limited to a few years, Harry was
instrumental in the Manitoba win over Alberta in 1980. He drove the forwards and his confidence and
encouragement helped the pack mercilessly defend as well as score two push over tries. Due to family
and work commitments, Harry left the playing field in the late 80’s but came back in 1997 to lead the
Saracen young lads to a second division provincial championship.
Harry continued to remain active as a club and colts coach and served on the club executive as well. In
2008 Harry restarted the dormant high school Rugby program at Tuxedo Shaftsbury and led that
program for next ten years. To this day, he is still involved in youth rugby at the grassroots level.
Harry was an exceptional player with great quickness, not only with his feet and hands but on reading
the field. During his tenure with the 1979-86 Saracens, he had the inevitable task of appeasing both the
forwards and the backs. There was only one ball but Harry made sure everyone was content. His
teammates would go through a brick wall for him and he was highly regarded by everyone he played
with and against.