It was named the best club in the country at the New Zealand Rugby Awards last week.
However, the club was presented with the shield as the Club of the Year in early November — weeks ahead of the official announcement at the awards evening, last Thursday.
"It’s a bit of a secret we’ve had to keep for the last few weeks," club captain Matt Hayman said yesterday.
It was "awesome" to be recognised as club of the year, he said.
"I think it’s a fair recognition for everyone that’s ever put effort into the rugby club.
"We’re really lucky that there are a lot of people tied to the club through being players, sponsors or having members of their families play — things like that."
Mr Hayman said he had heard a lot of positive feedback from the wider Waimate community.
"I’ve had a lot of people in passing just mention ‘oh, congrats on the award’ and that sort of thing.
"It’s really exciting to hear from these people that they’ve seen it," he said.
"We’re lucky to have a massive following from our community."
The people involved were what made Waimate such a great club, Mr Hayman said.
"Our aim was to always be great rugby players, but better people off the rugby field."
Waimate maintained two senior men’s teams this season and its premier side made the semifinals of the South Canterbury premier competition.
Alongside the impressive shield, the club also received $5000 of Bunnings Warehouse products to further improve the club.
Mr Hayman, who stepped down as the club’s president last month after a four-year stint, said the club was weighing its options on how to spend its prize.
"Being a community club, we have plenty of repairs and maintenance that can be and probably will be used for.
"Over the next month or two there will be some consultation with the JAB committee and [we’ll] have a chat about how we’re best wanting to represent this at our club."
