Richard Hunt (rugby union)

Richie Hunt

Birth name	Richard John Hunt
Date of birth	(1948-03-30) March 30, 1948 (age 76)
School	Hastings Boys' High School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1967–1983 Hawke's Bay 147 (16) Coaching career Years Team 1986–1989 Hawke's Bay

Richard John Hunt (born 30 March 1948) is a former New Zealand rugby union player, coach and administrator.

Biography

Hunt played 147 first-class games for Hawke's Bay between 1967 and 1983.[1] In 1970 he was nominated for the Junior All Black trials.[2]

After retiring from his long playing career he was Hawke's Bay's coach where he was known for his sharp team talks and one-liners. He later worked in haulage transport.[3]

He became chairman of the Hawke's Bay Rugby Football Union and fought for Hawke's Bay's inclusion in the top division of the revamped Air New Zealand Cup after a 2005 reform of the National Provincial Championship.[1][4] Hunt regarded helping Hawke's Bay gain premier division status in 2006 as the highlight of his career in rugby administration.[5]

With the support of several other smaller North Island provincial unions (East Coast, Poverty Bay, Thames Valley and King Country) he stood for a seat on the New Zealand Rugby Union's board of directors against former All Black captain Graham Mourie.[3] He was beaten 51–38 by Mourie at the 2010 New Zealand Rugby Union annual meeting. The next year he was elected to the board to fill the resignation of Jock Hobbs.[5] He was later the president of the New Zealand Polo Association.[6]

References

1. Hurndell, Shane (8 January 2005). "We only get one shot says Hunt". Hawkes Bay Today. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
2. "118 Nominated For Junior Rugby Trials". The Press. Vol. CX, no. 32352. 18 July 1970. p. 10.
3. Hurndell, Shane (12 April 2010). "Hunt keen to take a seat around NZRU table". Hawkes Bay Today. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
4. Bidwell, Hamish (19 February 2005). "Hunt sees positives but rivals look tough". Hawkes Bay Today. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
5. Hurndell, Shane (23 April 2011). "Hunt gets spot on NZ rugby board". Hawkes Bay Today. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
6. Laing, Doug (26 January 2023). "Historic Savile Cup on the line in Hastings polo". Hawkes Bay Today. Retrieved 3 September 2024.