At the Rugby Southland AGM last month, the union announced it had awarded a life membership to Waikaia’s Malcolm McKee.
McKee joined Donald Hay, Leicester Rutledge and Peter ‘‘Heta’’ Tetai as living Rugby Southland life members.
McKee began as a player for Waikaia before moving quickly into governance, where he has spent more than 30 years shaping the structures that support community rugby in Southland.
His roles have included junior and senior delegate, junior coach, long-serving member of the Rugby Southland board selection panel, and Northern Southland’s representative on the Rugby Southland advisory committee, which he has chaired for the past six years.
McKee also holds life memberships with the Waikaia Rugby Football Club, the Northern Southland Rugby Sub Union, ENC Barbarians Rugby Club and Southland Country Rugby.
Beyond rugby, he has contributed significantly to community organisations, including the Waikaia Domain Board, Show Jumping New Zealand and Equestrian Sports New Zealand, while also providing service to the Waikaia Volunteer Fire Brigade.
At the beginning of 2026, McKee was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to sport.
McKee played an important part in the establishment of the Eastern Northern Barbarians club in 2012.
The Barbarians are the only unbeaten team after the first four rounds of the premier grade season and will start favourites in Waikaka against the Star visitors from Invercargill.
Pirates Old Boys host Blues at Surrey Park, while Woodlands will start favourites on their ‘‘club day’’ against Marist. Woodlands will have all 11 of their teams playing tomorrow.
- John Langford
