Leroy Houston (centre), flanked by Nick Phipps (left) and Allan Alaalatoa, sings the Australian national anthem before the Rugby Championship match between Argentina and Australia at Twickenham Stadium in 2016. Photo / Getty Images
Leroy Houston (centre), flanked by Nick Phipps (left) and Allan Alaalatoa, sings the Australian national anthem before the Rugby Championship match between Argentina and Australia at Twickenham Stadium in 2016. Photo / Getty Images
Former Wallabies rugby international Leroy Houston has come home to his roots and is down to make his Shannon senior club rugby debut this weekend.
Shannon Domain in Horowhenua might be a far cry from Twickenham and some of the packed stadiums he has played in a lengthy career that included 48 games for Queensland Reds in Super Rugby, and almost 100 games for Bath in the English Premiership.
But sometimes rugby is not all about the big time and the big bucks.
Shannon – population 1507 – was his hometown. At 37 years old, he was not going to pass up a chance to create lasting memories of playing alongside old friends and whānau – despite not having played for the past four years.
“I always wanted to come back and finish up with Shannon. This is where it all started and this is where it will all finish. One more ride before I hang up the boots,” he said.
His late father Scotty Houston was a former Shannon stalwart and Horowhenua-Kāpiti representative coach, who guided that team to a famous win in the NPC third division in 1993.
His mother Mae Ketu-Houston played a big role in the Shannon club too, and helped to write the club’s impressive centenary booklet.
A massive crowd is expected at Shannon Domain this weekend.
The last time Houston played with one of his brothers was in a game of rugby league in Sydney for Asquith. That was 17 years ago. So the chance to take the field with brother Juane, who is playing for the Bs, would be another item ticked off the bucket list.
The Houston household used to be the stage for games of “knee rugby” in the lounge, where the four brothers – Andre, Carl, Juane and Leroy – would go at it.
“They were older and would smash me but I absolutely loved it. Then when the sisters were old enough we got them in there too,” he said.
Leroy Houston fends off Hurricanes Rodney So'oialo in the Super 14 rugby match in 2010. Photo / NZPA, Ross Setford
“Another favourite memory of mine is playing rugby every day with my cousins. That is where I learned skills that took me all over the world, and that is why I am so grateful and humble to come from Shannon.”
Houston was actually down to make his Shannon senior debut a few weeks ago but was denied a chance to play at the 11th hour by Horowhenua-Kāpiti Rugby Union, which required confirmation that he had gained international clearance.
News had spread he was back and ready to play, and a large crowd turned out to watch. But by then it was far too late to chase up paperwork. Houston was marooned and had to support the team from the sideline.
Shannon Rugby Club life member John Williams, who served 56 consecutive years with the club’s committee, said it was disappointing for the club – and Houston himself – that he was initially not allowed to play.
“The clubrooms were packed. It had created so much interest,” he said.
Williams had since written to New Zealand Rugby (NZR), suggesting a common-sense change to rules to prevent a similar situation from occurring to a returning player in the future.
“I would be surprised if this does not happen to too many clubs in New Zealand, which have their own exceptional players returning from time to time,” he said.
“This is outdated rules within the system. Surely a time limit can be put on so returning players can make an appearance for their clubs... let common sense prevail.”
NZR head of rugby participation Mike Hester wrote back to the Shannon Rugby Club and said while he understood the club’s frustration, it was bound by World Rugby international clearance policy that existed to protect players moving between countries and clubs.
“It is unfortunate that the lack of clearance was not identified earlier in the process here as it may have helped with not raising expectations unnecessarily,” he said in his response.
“Ultimately, we want players, who want to play, being able to play.”
Hester said he did think Williams’ proposal of a time limit had merit.
“The challenge is knowing when such a time limit has been exceeded as the system would need to know when the player last played. Relying on a player’s own declaration may not be sufficient for World Rugby.”
Houston was born in Levin and grew up in Shannon before moving to Australia with his family in 2000 as a teenager where he was educated at Asquith Boys High School in Sydney.
He originally played for the New South Wales Waratahs in 2005 and was picked to tour with the Wallabies that year as an 18-year-old, playing a game for Australia A.
Houston took time off from rugby in 2007 to play rugby league for the Asquith Magpies in the Jim Beam Cup. The following season he signed with the Queensland Reds for the 2008 Super 14 season where he received the Rookie of the Year Award.
In 2013 he joined English Premiership side Bath where he became a popular figure, playing 91 games in the Aviva Premiership. He later rejoined with Queensland Reds in 2016 with hopes of furthering his international career.
Leroy Houston playing for Bath in the UK.
Houston was named in a preliminary 39-man Wallabies squad for the 2016 series against England but had to wait until later that year for a test match against Argentina to make his international debut.
He then spent two seasons playing in France for Bordeaux, and later Biarritz Olympic, his last game of rugby more than four years ago, in the 2019/20 northern hemisphere season.
Houston tried to dodge questions about his fitness levels, before admitting he was probably short of a gallop.
“To be honest it’s not the greatest, but it’ll be all right out there as we learned from my Dad and uncles the best ways to cheat. The best way to cheat is to take the fat man track.”
The lungs could be burning though as he is named to play in the reserve grade match against Foxton this weekend, and also on the bench for the premier side straight afterwards.
There is a big weekend planned in Shannon with the 125th jubilee celebrations, starting this Friday night with a karakia, a meet and greet and a women’s match, finishing up on Sunday with a game of golf, bowls and a game of Golden Oldies rugby.
