Mike Pettman is a name that Dolphin supporters around 2002-2004 will remember well. Mike was one of the best oversea players signed by the club. He spent 2 seasons with Dolphin and had a great scoring rate, with 9 tries in 18 games.
He was the designated kicker in two of those games, 01/03/2003 he scored a try, five penalties and a conversion (22) in a 27-3 victory over Bective Rangers. He assisted in Dolphin winning Divison 2 trophy that season but injury ruled him out of the final in Lansdowne Road. He missed the final six games the following season in Division 1, had he been available Dolphin may have earned a further 2 points to keep them from relegation that year.
He arrived in Cork having represented Manawatu and New Zealand Universities and had been in the final training squad for New Zealand 7’s. He also played in a New Zealand Divisional side v Ireland, he was not marking Brian O’Driscoll who scored a hat trick that day.
He probably did not share with his Dolphin team mates details of his High School coach of four years Joe Schmidt.
He met his wife while working in Rochestown Park Leisure Centre and has returned as Munster Technical Skills Development Coach.
We wish him every success in the role, if he brings the same enthusiasm to it as he did to playing he certainly will do well.