Haig, a former half back in his playing career, started playing rugby for his school Southland Boys' High School in 1980, where he was selected for the first XV between 1980 and 1982.
In May 1982, his form for his school saw him be selected for Southland, and later continued to play for Southland in the National Provincial Championship, a further 4 times up until 1984.
Between 1985 and 1988, Haig travelled to various countries to gain experience in different cultures; between 1985 and 1987, he represented the Johannesburg Pirates in South Africa, while in between 1985 and 1988 he represented London Scottish, Orrell R.U.F.C. and Richmond in England.
He returned to New Zealand in 1989, playing for Bay of Plenty 'B' team, where he captained the team on 3 occasions. He was promoted up to the main side in 1990, playing 48 times, including 4 as captain, between 1990 and 1996.
Haig's coaching career began in 1991, where he took up a player-coaching role for Greerton Marist RFC between 1991 and 1993, during the off-season of the National Provincial Championship.
In 1993, he travelled to Scotland, where again, he took up a player-coaching role for Edinburgh based side Preston Lodge RFC.
For the 2000 National Provincial Championship, Bay of Plenty signed Vern Cotter as their new head coach, and Cotter brought in Haig as his assistant.
In 2002, Haig signed with the New Zealand Rugby Union, where he became a Resource Coach for the union.
In 2011, he was named as Georgia head coach, after being suggested by Vern Cotter, who was the GRU's first candidate, and the NZRU.
In the first year, Georgia finished top of the table with 19 points, narrowly ahead of Romania who were also on 19 points, but behind on points difference. But a 100% win rate in the 2014 season saw Georgia top the table with 41 points and a successfully qualified for the World Cup as Europe 1.
Haig led Georgia to reclaim the Rugby Europe Championship in 2018, winning all five games before taking Georgia to the first-ever appearance at the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup in June 2018.
At the start of the World Cup year, Georgia convincingly won the 2019 Rugby Europe Championship, winning all five matches. They retained the title, 6 points clear of runners-up Spain.
In 2020, he was named head coach of Top League side, Suntory Sungoliath.
(LS February 1, 2021)
Career
 |
Tokyo Sungoliath Head Coach |
2020 - present |
 |
Georgia Coach |
2011 - 2019 |
