Up or down Ross soldiers on at UMS
27th July 2010 12:34PM
By EVAN PEGDEN - Waikato Times
The Matamata region has produced some outstanding rugby players.
All Blacks Murray and Warwick Taylor, Kit Fawcett, Terry Morrison and Brendon Leonard are among those who all grew up and went to school in the district.
But like many country areas few have hung around once leaving school, moving to other clubs, mostly in Hamilton, or heading to another province for university studies or rugby.
As a result United Matamata Sports – formed in 1996 from the amalgamation of Matamata and Waharoa-Walton United – have few big names to call their own and no past championship glories to treasure.
Their best recent result was losing the 2008 Lion Cup final by two points to University.
The only player who became an All Black while playing for Matamata (prior to amalgamation) was former Waikato captain Hugh McLaren in 1952, although there have been a host of Waikato and other provincial representatives.
During the 1950s and 60s famous radio commentator Winston McCarthy had the Matamata TAB and became an ardent Matamata supporter.
Make no mistake, UMS is still a proud club and regularly competes in the premier division of the senior club competition. It's just that it's been an up-and-down existence as they yo-yo back and forth between premier and first division, seeing possibly more promotion-relegation rounds than any other club.
"We've been up and down for 10 or 12 years and haven't really had any representatives," stalwart club member Ross Southcombe said. "As soon as we have someone who looks like they might be they go to some other club."
Currently the likes of Alex Bradley, Johan Bardoul and Richard Johnston were all playing for clubs outside the Matamata area, having previously played for United Matamata.
"We accept that that's what's going to happen nowadays. To better their own careers and get a crack at the NPC team," Southcombe said.
Southcombe moved from Kereone in Morrinsville in 1973 to join the Waharoa-Walton club, continuing to play right through to 1982. He ended up playing Peace Cup rugby for both Morrinsville and Matamata sub-unions.
Within a year of joining Waharoa-Walton he was on the committee.
"I've been on committees ever since until the last couple of years."
Within two years of retiring from playing he was the WWU delegate to the Waikato Rugby Union and stayed on the union through the amalgamation until 2001, being union president from 1998-2000.
"I was one of those guys who bagged fish heads and ended up being one."
Southcombe managed Waikato Colts from 1984-94, was assistant manager of the Waikato senior team for a number of years after that and had two years as assistant manager of the Chiefs.
With no official rugby positions to worry about now, he still faithfully follows his club team every Saturday.
"It's very hard yakka at times but I like to follow my club on a Saturday. I also try and get in to two or three trainings a year at night time."
He is also a keen supporter of Waikato and the Chiefs, flying to South Africa last year for the Super 14 final and to Perth this year for the Chiefs v Force match.
But it is club rugby where it all starts and Southcombe said UMS liked to think it had a good future ahead.
"We're financially very sound, we're in the process of putting up some pretty elaborate lighting on Bedford Park, which is supposed to be state of the art for a club ground, so we'll box on."
The revamped club competition from next season with a 10-team premier division meant the likely future for Matamata was the next division down.
"We'd like to think we'll have a strong competition in that middle ground because it's hard to compete with the clubs that have got NPC guys.
"Who knows, we'd like to think we could have a stab at the premiers again, but we need to re-establish ourselves and rebuild," he said.
UMS also boast four or five netball teams and run their own summer touch module.
CLUB PROFILE
Name of club: United Matamata Sports Club.
Year founded: 1996 (amalgamation of Matamata and Waharoa-Walton Utd).
Playing colours: Red, white and black.
Teams entered this season: three senior (senior A & B, golden oldies), 12 junior teams.
Playing numbers (approx): 80 seniors, 200 juniors.
Best on-field achievement of club: 2008 Lion Cup finalists.
Most notable players to come from club: All Black Hugh McLaren.
All Blacks Murray and Warwick Taylor both played junior boys rugby for Waharoa-Walton.
Key club contacts: chairman Bevan Louch 027-292-6502, club captain Scott Henderson 021-977-645, senior A coach Brendon Brill 027-247-9699.
