june/july 2015 // NZ RUGBY WORLD //
81
1 2 3 4
NEWS
dow
takes on
northland
role
agent
profile:
henry
bates
PLAYERSOWN: Why is using an
accredited agent so important
for players?
HENRY BATES: Using an
accredited agent gives players
(and their parents or mentors)
some comfort that they are
dealing with people who have experience and credibility in the industry.
Accredited agents have gone through a thorough process and been vetted
by both the NZRPA and NZ Rugby and must abide by a the code of conduct
set out in the NZRPA agent charter.
PO: What are the pitfalls for players to watch out for?
HB: Players should avoid signing an agreement with an agent. You don’t
have a contract with your dentist or doctor but if they do a good job you will
continue to use their services. Players need to do their own due diligence on
agents – too often they commit to an agent before they understand what
services they’re actually getting. They should meet with at least two or three
accredited agents to work out which agent is right for them.
It’s also important to speak to other players, coaches and people involved
in rugby, who can give the player an honest appraisal on what they know
about the agent and their service.
Remember who is boss – the player is in charge and the agent works for
you. Too often, we see this relationship tipped upside down where the player
feels beholden to the agent. This should never be the case.
PO: What inspired you to become a player agent?
HB: I followed the involvement of lawyers and player representatives in 1995
when rugby went professional and again during the New Zealand cricket
pay dispute and was fascinated by the process. Coming from a sports-
mad family, where both parents are lawyers, I’d always been interested in
the prospect of being able to combine sport and law as a career. While at
Otago University’s law school, I discovered a number of graduates were
working in the sports law industry (Bart Campbell – Melbourne Storm and
formerly Essentially and CSM, Warren Alcock – Essentially Group and Martin
Snedden) and I set out to do the same.
PO: Advice for young players?
HB: Work extremely hard. A strong work ethic and dedication will get you a
long way, not only in a career in rugby but in any walk of life.
I’d also emphasise the importance of having an alternative career
option. Professional sport is fickle and careers can come to an end before
they even start. Players of all ages should be involved in some kind of
continuing education in the form of tertiary education, job opportunities or
apprenticeships. Not only is this vital for a relatively easy transition to post-
rugby life, it’s also a welcome distraction during a rugby career and can
become vital during times of injury or non-selection.
Former Taniwha and
Blues hooker Tim Dow is
returning to the province
he played 80 times for, as
the new Northland personal
development manager.
Dow has had a broad
range of work experiences,
from insurance specialist,
bank manager, real estate
agent and social worker to
school teaching – in fact,
there are even a couple of
players in the current squad
he taught.
He reckons that
experience will be an asset
as he looks to help Taniwha
players develop themselves
outside rugby, getting on
track to a future they want.
“The variety in the
background enables me
to picture many different
paths for the players that
I work with,” Dow said.
“Having tried a few different
tracks myself, I have both
experience and contacts in
each to lean on.”
With 12 seasons as
a professional player,
including two in Italy at
the end of his career, he’s
also able to empathise
with everyone from the
young player with the world
at their feet to the near-
retired player struggling
to find their feet in a new
world outside of rugby.
“There’s a lot of potential
in the region in terms
of player talent and the
path forward playing-
wise is pretty clear. The
opportunities off the field
are at times less tangible
and certainly the path to
success harder to follow
but I’m hoping to make that
path more obvious.”
