Herman Mattson

Herman Alfred Mattson (4 November 1900 – 6 July 1980) was a New Zealand rugby union player. A second five-eighth and three-quarter, Mattson represented Auckland at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, on their 1925 tour of New South Wales. He was educated at Seddon Memorial Technical College, where he passed the Public Service entrance course in English composition and literature in 1916.

Rugby union career Mattson joined Ponsonby RFC in 1916, and was a member of their club side that won three consecutive junior Auckland championship titles, in 1919, 1920 and 1921. where Sydney papers described him as "brilliant". He scored his only points for the All Blacks, a try, in the tourists' first match, against Wellington at Athletic Park before their departure for Australia.

After the tour to New South Wales, Mattson played a further five games for Auckland. In a match against Canterbury, he scored four tries, which as of 2024 remains the most tries scored by an Auckland player against Canterbury. The feat has been equalled by Bernie Fraser and Joeli Vidiri, but not surpassed.

After playing "several brilliant games on the wing" for Ponsonby in 1925, Mattson temporarily retired from rugby in 1926 because of his old knee injury. After two seasons off, Mattson returned to Ponsonby, but he broke his collarbone in his first reappearance on 28 April 1928 at a match at Eden Park. He retained an interest in rugby, serving as treasurer of the Ponsonby club and inaugural president of the Ponsonby Old Boys' Association.

Mattson married Florence Mabel Ardern on 30 June 1926. He died in Auckland on 6 July 1980, and was cremated at Purewa Crematorium. His wife died in Queensland, Australia, in 1993.