Highlander Coaches:
Number of Coaches = 8
Collective Years of Rugby Experience = 150 plus
Rugby Nations Represented = 7
Age Levels Coached = 4
Number of International & USA Rugby Coaching Certifications = 20 plus
Mission = 1 - to provide our players and parents with the most positive sporting experience possible thru the legendary rugby ethos
Exposure to interesting new accents & a highly evolved sense of humor = PRICELESS
Robert Joseph (U19 Head Coach)
A native of Scotland, Robert moved with his familly to North Carolina in 2002. Initially Robert helped coach the Eno River Women’s Rugby team. In Novemeber 2003, disappointed with the lack of youth rugby in the Triangle area, Robert helped with a rugby demonstration as part of International Day at East Chapel Hill High School. After seeing a strong interest in a rugby team at the high school, Robert helped the establishment of the Highlanders Rugby Club. Robert is a forward coach and specializes in line outs. Robert is also the President of Highlanders Youth Rugby.
Coaching Accreditations:
RFU Level I (1999)
USA Rugby Level II (2005)
USA Rugby CDP Level 2 (2009)
Positive Coaching Alliance Double Goal Coach
USA Rugby Level I Referee
Rookie rugby instructor
Coaching Achievements: 
Mini rugby coach at Bracknell Rugby Club (1996-2002)
7 NC HS/U19 State Championship finals in a row
5 NC HS/U19 State Championships (2006 -2010)
USA Rugby South HS/U19 Championship finals
- 2005 runners up
- 2008 4th place
- 2009 Champions
- 2010 runners up
2005, 2009 USA Rugby National HS/U19 Championships
- 2005 8th in Div II
- 2009 7th in U19
NC HS U17/U19 All Stars coach 2005-2009
USA Rugby development camp coach 2005 & 2006
Playing History:
1970s – Dalziel High School
1990s – Social rugby at Bracknell Rugby Club
2000s – Touch rugby
Todd Fabec (u19 Backs Coach)
Profile:
A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Todd attended West Virginia University (WVU) and discovered rugby through a friend. The “test” hooked him for decades. Todd and family relocated to Chapel Hill in 1997 from Santa Fe, NM. In 2005, Todd met Jimmy Ivory, former Highlander coach. Jimmy kindly vouched for him to Robert Joseph and Malcolm Dougall. It’s been shocking ever since.
A great admirer of Dean Smith, the legendary UNC basketball coach, Todd follows and loosely quotes the ground-breaking coach, “if we commit to train and evolve our style of play, then the results will take care of themselves.”
During his career as a player and coach, Todd will be the first to comment on how fortunate he was to learn from great players and coaches. It rings true to this day, “My fellow coaches and our players are my best teachers.”
Coaching Accreditations:
USA Rugby CDP Level 1 (IRB Level 1)
USA Rugby CDP Level 2 (IRB Level 2)
Positive Coaching Alliance Double Goal Coach
Coaching Achievements:
5 NC U19 High School State Championships (2006-2010)
2008, 2010 USA Rugby South Championship Finals
2009 USA Rugby South Regional Champions
2009 USA Rugby National U19 HS Championships (7th place D1)
3 years as a member of the NC HS All-Star Program coaching staff (2006 – 2008)
Regional Champions at U17 All-Star level (2007 & 2008)
Regional Champions at U19 All-Star level (2008)
Playing History in Brief:
1980s - WVU Rugby
1990s - Santa Fe Rugby Football Club
1990s - Rio Grande Union Select Side
2000s - Anasazi Old Boys
2000s - Highlanders Touch Rugby
2008 - Orlando Vagabonds US National Touch Finals
John Smith (Forwards Coach)
Robert Futch (Head Coach U15/U13)
Coaching Accreditations:
USA level 1 coaching cert
USA level 1 refereeing cert
Coaching Experience:
Skyline HS RFC, Oakland CA
Ecole De Rugby Union Sportive La Teste, La Teste France
Marin Highlanders RFC, Marin County CA
UNC RFC, Chapel Hill, NC
Highlanders U13 - U19,Chapel Hill, NC
Carl Dornan (Backs and Fitness Coach)
M.S. Exercise Physiology, B.S. Sports Science
Originally from Cardiff-Wales, Carl moved to Cleveland-Ohio in 2005. While studying for his Masters in Exercise Physiology Carl played for Akron Rugby Club in the Mid West Division. During his time playing for Akron Rugby Carl was also a fitness coach with an emphasis on speed and power. Carl has created and implemented strength and conditioning programs for collegiate soccer,football, and rugby players of all positions. Carl enjoys coaching the back line and working on fitness as a team and on an individual basis. Carl cannot emphasize enough how much players games can improve and how much of an advantage you can have over their opponents with greater fitness.
Coaching Accreditations
Rugby Skills level 1 - Welsh Rugby Union 2000
USA Rugby CDP level 2 - 2009
Positive Coaching Alliance Double Goal Coach
Coaching Experience
Years Coaching: 10
- Grangetown old boys soccer club (Wales, UK) – Fitness Coach (2002-2004)
- Fairwater under 11yr soccer club (Wales, UK) – Coach (2000-2001)
- Fairwater under 11yr rugby club (Wales, UK) – Coach (2001-2002)
- Akron Rugby Club (Akron, OH) – Fitness Coach (2005-2008)
- Akron University (Akron OH) – Class instructor for undergrad soccer physical education classes
Playing Experience
- Cantonian High School - Cardiff, Wales
- Canton Rugby Club - Cardiff, Wales
- Akron Rugby Club - Akron, Ohio
Dominic Crotty (Backs Coach)
Dominic is a native of Ireland and arrived in North Carolina in 2004. From 1996-2004 he lived the dream of an 8-year professional rugby career, playing for both Munster and Ireland at numerous different levels in the 15-a-side and 7-a-side game. He has a great passion for the hobby that became his career and wants to instill that love for the game in the Highlander players he coaches. Although a recent member of the coaching staff, he is already very impressed at the level of commitment in the coaches and especially the players and hopes to add value to the club as soon as possible. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Duke University.
Coaching Accreditations
Irish Rugby Football Union, Level 1, 2002
USA Rugby, Level 2, 2009
Coaching History
Glenstal Boys School, Senior Team Asst. Coach, 2001
Playing History in Brief
1992 – 1996 University College Cork, Ireland
1996 – 2004 Garryowen RFC, Ireland
1996 - 2004 Munster Rugby, 95 caps
1996 - 2004 Ireland, 5 caps
Malcolm Dougall : Coaching Consultant
B.Ed. (Physical Education Major)
After arriving in Chapel Hill in August 2003 a chance meeting with Robert Joseph at a UNC men’s rugby game lead to Malcolm joining the Highlanders coaching team half-way through their first season.
Profile for Malcolm Dougall
36 years experience playing and coaching in Australia and the USA at all age levels
22 years coaching experience in variety of sports
17 years teaching experience classroom and physical education
6-plus years coaching “Highlanders” Rugby in North Carolina
Coaching Accreditations
NCAS Level 1 Rugby League
NCAS Level 2 Touch
NCAS Level 1 Soccer
NCAS Level 1 Australian Rules Football
Coaching Achievements
3 Australian National Touch Titles (QLD 2000-20002)
1 Queensland State Touch Title (2000)
2 Runners-Up Queensland Touch Titles (1997, 1999)
4 North Carolina U19 HS Rugby Titles (2006-9)
2 Runners-Up U19 HS Rugby Titles (2004, 2005)
USA Rugby Nationals (2005 8th D2)
USA Rugby Nationals (2009 7th D1)
Qld State Touch Championships 1994-03
Qld State Cricket Championships 2002
Qld State AFL Championships 2003
Qld State Tennis Championships 1991
Playing History in Brief
1970’s Tara State High, “Panthers” -Rugby League
1980’s Toowoomba, “Pirates”, “DDIAE” -Rugby League
1990’s “Teacher Barbarians”- Rugby, 7’s and Touch
2000’s “Highlanders” Touch Rugby
2008 “Orlando Vagabonds” US National Touch Titles
Stephen Burr
Michael Burrows - Forwards Coach
Michael hails from North Carolina and has recently joined the Highlander coaching staff after adopting gainful employment in Chapel Hill. A 2006 graduate of the University of North Carolina, Michael served four years as a UNCRFC forward, including a memorable 2003-2004 season which saw the club advance to the Elite Eight of collegiate rugby. With a focus on efficient play around the ruck and fundamentally strong defense, Michael aims to help build upon some of the Highlanders’ existing strengths. The quest for coaching accreditation is in motion.
Former Coaches
Gavin Cook
Taleb Alkhajah 
13 years of playing and coaching experience.
-Began playing rugby at age 11 with his secondary school, The English College, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
-Graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill 2006 with a B.S. in Biology Pre-Med and Exercise & Sports Science.
-Involvement with Highlanders RFC 2005-2008.
-Currently pursuing a Master's in International Public Health in Australia.
Playing History in Brief:
-Dubai Exiles RFC 1997-2001
-2001 U19 Runners Up at the Dubai Rugby 7s with The English College, Dubai.
-UNC-Charlotte 2002-2003 (Div II).
-UNC-Chapel Hill 2003-2006 (Div I).
Jason Wain, Pete Maki and Zak Barker
These 3 young men, all UNC students at the time, were assitant coaches in 2005 and were pivotal in steering the Highlanders to a place at the 2005 National championships