Fond memories of the game were front and centre as the club commemorated the milestone at their home patch in Tulloch Park on Saturday.
Ivan Baldwin, who played for the club in the 1950s, said ‘‘there used to be blood and guts everywhere’’ during fiercely competitive games.
Past and present club members and supporters wore the maroon and yellow club colours with pride and dozens cheered on the sidelines as Mataura Rippa teams played Pioneer, Edendale and Wyndham in the morning.
A first XV game between Hokonui College and Winton’s Central Southland College followed from 12.45pm, and the visitors clinched the win 31-13.
Mataura’s senior Cs faced off against Balfour in the final match of the day, and the home side played a blinder, winning 54-0.
Rugby Southland president Rex Carter said, in the end, camaraderie trumped a win or loss.
‘‘When you’re on the field, it’s a battle — you go to war.
‘‘But as soon as you’re off that field, sitting around, having a yarn, [with] a couple of beers . . . we turn into real good mates,’’ he said.
The sport was also about more than friendship. Its allure ran in the blood for many from the area.
Pat Cowan, grandfather of Mataura-born All Black Jimmy Cowan, sat next to his great-grandson Ronnie Heaps, who played for the club, and cut the celebratory cake.
It acknowledged four generations of Mataura players.
Former All Black and Mataura local Justin Marshall told those gathered being at the club lit the rugby fire in him.
‘‘You always start at the grassroots of the game.’’
Commitment to the game was also on show in photos of decades of people playing and socialising in the clubrooms.
A statement was read from Mataura Black Fern Maree Edwards who said she owed her appointment as a Black Fern to the club.
Another from star Jimmy Cowan was relayed to the crowd.
‘‘This club would be nowhere without its volunteers . . . without them we wouldn’t have a club,’’ it read.
The room erupted with ‘‘kia oras’’ and raised glasses, a fitting end to a day all about friendship.
