Matt Saunders (rugby union)

Matt Saunders

Date of birth	13 September 1982
Place of birth	Oamaru, New Zealand
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	96 kg (15 st 2 lb)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Wing/Centre
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2003–2007 2008–	Otago Southland	37 38	(65) (25)
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2004–2008 2011–	Highlanders Highlanders	30 4	(40) (10)

Matt Saunders (born 13 September 1982 in Oamaru, New Zealand) is a professional rugby union player who plays his provincial rugby for Southland in the ITM Cup and is a member of the Highlanders Super Rugby squad.

Playing career

Provincial Rugby

Saunders' first-class rugby career started with a bang as he debuted for North Otago aged only 17 in a Ranfurly Shield contest against Waikato in 2000. After three seasons with North Otago, he transferred to the Otago Rugby Union in 2002. He made his provincial debut for Otago in 2003 and quickly established himself as a player of substantial promise.

After injury ruled him out of the 2004 provincial season, he returned in fine form in 2005 in a year that was highlighted by his selection for a match against the touring British and Irish Lions.

However, another injury forced him to miss most of the 2006 Air New Zealand Cup, and a disappointing 2007 season saw him released from both Otago and the Highlanders.

With his career at a crossroads, Saunders signed with Southland for the 2008 Air New Zealand Cup and began to work on rebuilding his career. With Southland, he has proven to be a reliable performer on the wing, and helped the province to a historic Ranfurly Shield triumph in 2009. His strong performances in the 2010 ITM Cup saw him brought back into the Highlanders squad for the 2011 Super Rugby season.

Super Rugby

Saunders' performances for Otago saw him selected to the Highlanders squad for the 2004 Super 12 season, and given the chance to start 3 games late in the season responded with a series of outstanding performances. He carried that momentum into the 2005 Super 12 season, where he started 9 of the team's 11 games and was one of their most reliable backfield performers.

However, his career would lose substantial momentum with a shoulder injury suffered during the 2006 preseason that forced him to miss the entire Super 14 campaign and most of the following provincial season. On his return for the 2007 Super 14 season, he appeared in every match for the Highlanders but struggled for form and was not as effective as before his injury.^[1]

Left off the Highlanders squad for the 2008 Super 14 season, Saunders was eventually called back into the squad as injury cover and made a further 5 appearances. However, these would be his last Super Rugby appearances for a further three years.

After three seasons of consistent (and consistently healthy) play for Southland, Saunders was again included in the Highlanders squad for the 2011 Super Rugby season, although sadly his season was interrupted by the death of his father while the team was in South Africa.^[2] He made his season debut against the Blues on 29 April. After receiving limited game action for most of the season, he finished the year on a high note with two tries against the Blues on 17 June.

References

1. ^ "'Prepare for life after rugby' - Saunders". The Southland Times. 2 June 2010. http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/sport/national-sport/3765476/Prepare-for-life-after-rugby-Saunders. Retrieved 22 October 2011. 
2. ^ "Matt Saunders out of Highlanders after father's death". 3 News. NZPA. 10 March 2011. http://www.3news.co.nz/Matt-Saunders-out-of-Highlanders-after-fathers-death/tabid/415/articleID/201740/Default.aspx. Retrieved 22 October 2011. 

External links

• Highlanders Profile

Persondata
Name	Saunders, Matt
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	13 September 1982
Place of birth	Oamaru, New Zealand
Date of death
Place of death