New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson reunites with Heron family 31 years after enjoying stint playing club rugby in Northern Ireland

An 18-year-old Robertson rocked up at Ards Rugby Club in 1993 and spent six months living with Davy Heron and his family in Greyabbey before going on to represent New Zealand as a player 22 times – making his international debut less than five years after turning out for the club’s second team.

He also played for Crusaders – where he won four consecutive Super Rugby titles as coach, which put him in a position to earn arguably the most coveted job in world rugby as All Blacks chief – and spent time with Perpignan in France before rounding his playing career out in Japan.

Three decades later, Robertson has returned to Ireland and had an opportunity to reconnect with the Herons, which he said earlier this week would be “emotional”, prior to kick-off.

In an interview with the Belfast News Letter last year after Robertson’s appointment was confirmed, Davy Heron reflected on hosting the future New Zealand star.

"I met Scott when he was at school in New Zealand,” he recalled. “I was staying with one of the teachers from the school who had been over here on a teacher exchange and then I went over there.

"I went to the school that Scotty was at and at that time I was coaching at Ards. I went to see rugby practice and met him and was then invited to his parents home.

"His father wanted to know if there would be any place for him to play rugby in Ireland and I made a few enquiries and got him accommodation here and his father was very pleased. Scotty came and stayed with us in Greyabbey and joined Ards.”

Having missed out on the registration deadline to play for the club’s top team, Robertson was unleashed on Northern Irish second string sides after he made his debut in a rather grand occasion – a youth final at Ravenhill.

"His very first game was an Under-18 cup final at Ravenhill that Ards had reached,” added Heron. “He thought that was funny that his first game was straight to Ravenhill for a cup final! He stayed with us, played games for Ards and after about six months or so went back to New Zealand."

Neil Workman played with Robertson at Ards and knew immediately they had a star in their ranks.

"He played for our seconds and a number of friendlies for our firsts,” he said. "He was only 18 and he was a cracker even then.

“One of the memorable matches I played with him was against Bangor. The big Fijian prop called Joeli Veitayaki who played for Ulster played against us.

"He was lean, quite lanky. When we saw him playing for New Zealand he had massively bulked up."

Robertson has gone on to be a roaring success at everything he has turned his hand to but still remembers what those at Ards did for a teenager finding his way in the game and working towards a professional dream.

"He was very popular in our family who all thought he was great,” said Heron. "We still keep in touch.

"A lot of guys got to know him. They would take him for a drink after the matches and he went with the boys when they were going down to Ireland internationals in Dublin.

"Socially he blended in and had no problem with that. Lots of boys still ask about him when I'm down at the club.

"We're very proud of how Scotty has got on over the years and hopefully we can get him to come back over at some stage."