Matthew James Andrew Cooper

Surname:

Cooper

First names:

Matthew James Andrew

Known by:

Matt

All Black Player No:

887

All Black games played:

All Black years:

1987 - 1996

Clubs:

Napier Tech OB, Marist OB
Hamilton Marist

Provincial teams:

Hawkes Bay 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
Waikato 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
NZ Colts 1987
NZ Divisional XV 1988, 1989

Super teams:

Highlanders 1996
Chiefs 1997, 1998, 1999

Provincial captain:

Hawkes Bay 1989

Biography:

1985: Centre [7], Fullback [3] - 10 games - 3 tries, 6 C, 5 P (39 pts)
1986: Centre [4], Fullback [11] - 15 games - 4 tries, 15 C, 19 P, 1 DG (106 pts)
1987: AB's: Centre - 2 tour games - 3 tries (12 pts)
1987: Centre[10], Fullback [3] - 13 games - 6 tries, 1 P (27 pts)
1987: NZ Colts: Centre {3}, Fullback [1] - 4 games
1988: Centre [6], Fullback [4] - 10 games - 3 tries, 8 C, 1 P (31 pts)
1988: Central Zone: Centre - 2 games
1988: NZ Divisional XV: 1/5 [1], Centre [2], Fullback [3] - 6 games - 1 try (4 pts)
1989: Centre [10], Fullback [5] - 15 games - 2 tries, 21 C, 30 P (140 pts)
1989: Central Zone: Fullback - 2 games - 4 C, 1 P (11 pts)
1989: Possibles: Centre - 1 game - 1 try (4 pts)
1989: NZ Divisional XV: Fullback - 1 game
1990: Centre - 13 games - 4 tries, 43 C, 17 P (153 pts)
1990: Probables: Centre - 1 game - 3 C, 2 P (12 pts)
1991: Centre [4], Fullback [4] - 8 games - 22 C, 18 P (98 pts)
1992: AB's: 2/5 - 1 tour game, Wing - 1 test, Fullback - 1 tests, 6 tour games - 6 tries (2 @ 4), 21 C, 8 P (94 pts)
1992: Centre [16], Fullback [2] - 18 games - 4 tries (3 @ 4), 55 C, 34 P, 1 DG (232 pts)
1992: Probables: Fullback - 1 game - 1 try, 5 C, 3 P (29 pts)
1992: Saracens: Fullback - 1 game - 1 C, 2 P (8 pts)
1992: NZRFU President XV: Fullback - 1 game - 1 P (3 pts)
1993: AB's: 2/5 - 2 tests, 4 tour games, Wing - 1 test, Fullback - 1 test, 1 tour game - 11 C, 18 P (76 pts)
1993: Centre [10], Fullback [8] - 18 games - 6 tries, 27 C, 57 P (255 pts)
1993: Probables: 2nd game: 2/5 - 1 game - 1 C, 1 P (5 pts)
1993: NZ Trial: Probables: Fullback - 1 game - 1 C, 2 P (8 pts)
1994: AB's: 2/5 - 2 tests - 6 P (18 pts)
1994: Centre - 15 games - 10 tries, 29 C, 23 P (177 pts)
1994: Possibles: 2/5 - 1 game - 5 C, 3 P (19 pts)
1994: Probables: 2/5 - 1 game - 2 C (4 pts)
1995: Fullback - 6 games - 1 try, 12 C, 10 P (59 pts)
1996: AB's: Fullback - 4 tour games - 3 tries, 3 C, 1 P (24 pts)
1996: Hi: Centre [5], Fullback [3] - 8 games - 4 tries, 12 C, 14 P (86 pts)
1996: 2/5 [1], Centre [5], Fullback [1] - 7 games - 3 tries, 14 C, 11 P (76 pts)
1997: Ch: Fullback - 9 games - 1 try, 14 C, 25 P (108 pts)
1997: 2/5 [11], Fullback [2] - 13 games - 4 tries, 43 C, 34 P (208 pts)
1998: Ch: 2/5 [1], Centre [1], Fullback [3], Sub [2] - 7 games - 2 tries, 6 C, 11 P (55 pts)
1998: 2/5 [11], Sub [1] - 12 games - 3 tries, 47 C, 23 P (178 pts)
1999: Ch: 2/5 [1], Fullback [2], Sub [6] - 9 games - 5 C, 14 P (52 pts)
1999: 2/5 [13], Sub [1] - 14 games - 3 tries, 39 C, 25 P (168 pts)

Sub Total: AB's: 8 tests, 18 tour games (224 pts):
Super: Ch: 25 games (215 pts): Hi: 8 games (86 pts):
Prov: HB: 63 games (343 pts): Wai: 124 games (1,604 pts):
Others: 24 games (107 pts)

Total: 270 games (2,579 pts)

Played for Croatia

Endorsement

It gives me great pleasure to write this character reference about this website. There would not be a person in this country who doesn’t know that rugby is the national game of New Zealand. The passion runs deep and the profile and exposure of the sport is without peer. A fair chunk of our heroes come from the game and nothing affects the mental psychology of the people more than rugby. Not even politics.

Because of this rich feeling, discussions in society are often based around the game and on the players involved. Memories tend to play tricks on people. They can fade and forget and get things muddled up. For nearly 90 years New Zealand rugby enthusiasts have been superbly served by the Rugby Almanack. It remains the definitive source of information from each season despite the advancement of technology.

However, we must accept that technology has advanced and like rugby, we therefore need to embrace the good that comes with that change. www.rugbyhistory.co.nz is the best rugby history site that is available. It provides comprehensive records of the All Blacks, all the Super rugby sides and most impressively of all, places a large emphasis on the national provincial competition, which remains such a crucial part of the fabric in New Zealand.

Kery Geertson’s dedication to this growing rugby treasure can not be denied. It continues to grow, mature and impress. To paraphrase the late, great Terry McLean www.rugbyhistory.co.nz should be stored as a favourite website for every rugby lover; it provides facts and fairness and hours of one of life’s greatest pleasures – browsing.

Grant Hassall
Wannabe Rugby Historian
New Plymouth

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