Matthew Clarkin
Encyclopedia
Matthew Clarkin is an English born New Zealand rugby union
player and son of Chele and the late Paul Clarkin
who was known internationally as 'Mr Polo'. His elder brother is John-Paul Clarkin
a professional polo
player.
Clarkin has played most of his professional rugby career at the top level in France and is captain of the French Top 14 rugby team Union Bordeaux Bègles.
He has been described as being a player that is able to orchestrate play, as well as having a strong work ethic and hitting the ball up into the opposition allowing space for the back line.
(CABBG) club.
In 2004 he moved to US Montauban
where he played from 2004–2010, captaining the side in the 2009–10 season. Montauban were liquidated at the end of the 2009–10 season due to financial problems and Clarkin signed a 2 year deal with the Pro D2 team Union Bordeaux Belges (UBB) in April 2010.
Under Clarkin's captaincy, UBB finished 5th in the 2010–11 season and went on to win the play-offs to gain promotion to the Top 14 for the 2011–2012 season.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player and son of Chele and the late Paul Clarkin
Paul Clarkin
Paul Clarkin was a New Zealander and a polo player, known internationally as 'Mr Polo'.He first started playing polo in his early twenties....
who was known internationally as 'Mr Polo'. His elder brother is John-Paul Clarkin
John-Paul Clarkin
John-Paul Clarkin is a professional polo player. Born in New Zealand, he is the eldest son of Chele and the late Paul Clarkin and elder brother of Matthew Clarkin a professional rugby player....
a professional polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
player.
Clarkin has played most of his professional rugby career at the top level in France and is captain of the French Top 14 rugby team Union Bordeaux Bègles.
He has been described as being a player that is able to orchestrate play, as well as having a strong work ethic and hitting the ball up into the opposition allowing space for the back line.
Career
In 2003 Matthew arrived in France to play with the now defunct CA Bordeaux-Bègles GirondeCA Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde
Club Athlétique Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde are a French multisports club, established in 1907, based in Bègles, in the southern suburbs of Bordeaux. Their rugby union section, Union Bordeaux Bègles is their flagship...
(CABBG) club.
In 2004 he moved to US Montauban
US Montauban
US Montauban were a French rugby union club, which competed in the Top 14 competition between 2007 and 2010, after being promoted from Rugby Pro D2 for the 2006-07 season...
where he played from 2004–2010, captaining the side in the 2009–10 season. Montauban were liquidated at the end of the 2009–10 season due to financial problems and Clarkin signed a 2 year deal with the Pro D2 team Union Bordeaux Belges (UBB) in April 2010.
Under Clarkin's captaincy, UBB finished 5th in the 2010–11 season and went on to win the play-offs to gain promotion to the Top 14 for the 2011–2012 season.