Waikato’s Matthew Cooper elected New Zealand Rugby president

All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson (left) talks with New Zealand Rugby president Matthew Cooper after their win against England at Eden Park on July 13. Photo / Getty Images

Waikato Rugby centurion and former All Black Matthew Cooper was elected as New Zealand Rugby president earlier this month - Waikato’s first NZR president since Ian Clarke in the early 1990s.

Previously vice-president, Cooper took over from Max Spence, while former Black Fern Erin Rush was elected vice-president, the first woman to hold this role for NZR.

“Matt and Erin are highly respected in rugby circles and will be exceptional ambassadors for New Zealand Rugby,” NZR chairwoman Dame Patsy Reddy said.

“Their roles help in our vision to inspire and unify through rugby, and I know both will enjoy connecting with people involved in the game at every level.”

Cooper, who has been Sport Waikato chief executive for 23 years, said it all started with his childhood dream of becoming an All Black.

“I was just a kid, born in Gisborne who grew up in Hawke’s Bay, that was absolutely mad on rugby and mad on the All Blacks. Fortunately for me, that dream came true in the 90s,” Cooper said.

“It’s neat to know, looking back to that kid’s dream, that Hawke’s Bay rugby initially gave me an opportunity before coming to Waikato in 1990 for 10 very special years as part of a thrilling era for Waikato Rugby and Hamilton Marist.

Former rugby internationals Erin Rush and Matthew Cooper have been elected as the vice-president and president respectively of New Zealand Rugby. Photo / New Zealand Rugby

“Then to have this opportunity over the next two years - I’m incredibly proud and humbled. It’s a real honour and privilege, an opportunity that I’m excited about but also one I see as a nice challenge.

“I’m proud thinking about those people who have supported me over many years. I think about our game and those who put so much effort in, in terms of the coaches back in my era, who were all amateur coaches but were outstanding. Those many managers, teammates and all those people that make the revolving wheel of New Zealand Rugby move.

“I think it’s exciting to be in this position, where I’ve been lucky enough to play the game at the highest level and I’m really connected in terms of what’s happening in our world at the community grassroots level through all sports at Sport Waikato.”

Cooper is excited to work alongside Rush and said that she will ably back him up.

“It’s important that we are the eyes and ears for New Zealand Rugby at community level. Part of our roles is to ensure that we are listening and seeing things on the ground that we can take back to NZR,” Cooper said.

“‘We’ve got to connect, and we’ve got to have conversations. There’s an importance around unifying because we’ve got a great product. No country has the DNA talent that New Zealand Rugby has.”

Turning back the clock 31 years, Cooper recalled playing for the All Blacks and beating Scotland at Murrayfield.

“After the game, I received an embossed programme from the presidential suite.

“The words were, ‘Dear Matthew, really good game, good goalkicking, proud of you. Kind regards, New Zealand Rugby Football Union president Ian Clarke’.

“To reflect on Ian Clarke being the last president from Waikato Rugby was significantly special and more than 30 years on, it’s very special and humbling to be Waikato’s next New Zealand Rugby president.”

New Zealand Rugby president Ian Clarke (second from right) with his brothers Doug (from left), Brian, Graeme and Don at Waikato Stadium in 1994. Photo / Photosport

His role with Sport Waikato will go hand-in-hand with the presidency as he connects with key people regionally, nationally and internationally.

“The board have been very positive around that. If you think about professional development for someone like me, who has been at Sport Waikato for a long time, this is a good opportunity for me to continue to learn and grow. I’m still very committed and proud to lead Sport Waikato,” he said.

“I’m absolutely passionate about the game of rugby - that hasn’t changed since I was a little kid playing junior rugby in Napier. I’m very proud of New Zealand rugby, whether it be our teams in black, our 26 provincial unions, the Māori All Blacks and right through to our clubs.

“I love people and I really like connecting with people. That’s been an attribute I take back to my parents and how I was raised - the whole mantra of treating people how you want to be treated. I’ll continue that. When people want to connect with me, I will give them time and I will listen.”

Jesse Wood is a multimedia journalist based in Te Awamutu. He joined the Te Awamutu Courier and NZME in 2020.