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NZ U20 Profile: Mitchell Hunt

Club Rugby | 15 April 2015 | Adam Julian

NZ U20 Profile: Mitchell Hunt

In his final year at Nelson College in 2013, Mitchell Hunt desired a move to Auckland for strictly academic reasons.

Hunt studies physics at AUT and had his mind set on that target for some time.

“I guess it’s unusual for a good rugby player to be studying physics,” Hunt says.

“I have always enjoyed the subject. I passed it in Year 13, but felt I could have done a lot better had I not been distracted by rugby. Moving to Auckland has been great for my studies and the rugby has been a real bonus.”

Hunt is contracted to the Auckland Academy. He plays for the Pakuranga club who won the Gallagher Shield in 2013 and returned to the semi-finals in 2014.

Hunt has been a regular starter in premier rugby, adding another string to his bow.

“I played college rugby at first-five, but recently I have played a lot of fullback. I enjoy the extra time and space that position provides”, Hunt says.

“I think I have more of a chance of being selected at fullback for New Zealand, because there are a lot of quality ten’s about.”

Pakuranga are coached by former All Black second-five Pita Alatini.

Hunt is a fine first-five. He grew up in Stoke and started playing rugby aged 11. His father Grant (Below Left of Hunt) owns a building business and was Mitchell’s coach right through college.
Hunt made the First XV as a Year 11 and clocked up 51 games.

Nelson was a perennial contender in the Press Cup making the final in 2011 and 2013. Unfortunately on both occasions they fell short of victory, succumbing to St. Bede’s College in 2011 and Marlborough Boys’ College in 2013.

Hunt identifies the reaching of the Press Cup final in his last year at school as the highlight of his time at Nelson College. Hunt explains why.

“We played St. Bede’s in the semi-finals and were losing 13-3 at halftime. We held them scoreless in the second-half and won 15-13 to stop their 62-game unbeaten streak at home. Tom Hill and I played our 50th games for the First XV and Finn Hart-Strawbridge kicked five penalties.”

Another dramatic match Hunt played at Nelson College was the 2012 Quadrangular final against Wellington College.

Wellington’s monster forward pack ran amok in the first-half to burst to a 26-13 lead. Early in the second-half, Nelson openside Steven Soper scored a spectacular 55-metre solo try to spark a Nelson revival. Hunt recalls what happened in the last-minute.

“We were up 31-26 and they had one last attack. Their fullback (Nathan Blundell) scored a try and it was a draw. Though technically we won, because we were the lower ranked team from the year before, it hurt to draw. Now when I talk about it, I think what a privilege it was to play in that match. It was a history making game in the oldest rugby tournament in the southern hemisphere.”

The 2012 ‘quad’ final was the highest scoring decider in the tourney’s history which dates back to 1890, Nelson achieved their best result since 2001.

Nelson also made the Condor Sevens final in 2011, losing to Kelston Boys’ High School. Hunt made the tournament team alongside Lolagi Visinia who cracked the New Zealand Sevens’ team shortly afterwards and scored two tries in the final.

Hunt’s teammate Tom Hill is in the New Zealand squad that will tour Australia. Mitchell Drummond and David Havili who played with Hunt at Nelson College made the 2013 side and have already enjoyed regular game time for the Crusaders.

Mitchell has a younger brother Oliver who is working on a building apprenticeship. Mitchell’s interests outside of rugby include hunting, fishing, diving and the “great outdoors.”

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