Steven Hunt (rugby union)

Steven Hunt
Birth nameSteven Mark Hunt
Date of birth (1988-10-14) 14 October 1988 (age 36)
Place of birthPort Elizabeth, South Africa
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in)
Weight81 kg (179 lb; 12 st 11 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009, 2011 Western Province 4 (0)
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2010–2014 South Africa Sevens 24
Medal record
Men's rugby sevens
Representing  South Africa
World Games
Gold medal – first place 2013 Cali Team competition

Steven Mark Hunt (born 14 October 1988) is a former South African rugby union player. He represented the South African sevens team between 2010 and 2014 and also played for Western Province in 2009 and 2011.[1]

He announced his retirement from professional rugby in May 2015 to pursue his career as a commercial property broker.[2]

Career

Youth and Currie Cup

He attended Grey High School in Port Elizabeth, which earned him a selection for the Eastern Province Kings at youth level, playing for them at the 2006 Under-18 Academy Week competition and for the Eastern Province U19 side in the 2007 Under-19 Provincial Championship.

He then moved to Cape Town where he joined Western Province. He made his first class debut for them during the 2009 Currie Cup Premier Division, coming on as a replacement in their match against the Leopards.[3] His next appearance for the side came almost two years later, starting their 2011 Currie Cup Premier Division match against the Pumas in Witbank.[4] This was followed with two more appearances as a replacement against Griquas[5] and the Leopards.[6]

Sevens

Hunt became involved in rugby sevens with the South African Sevens team and made his debut during the 2010 Wellington Sevens leg of the 2009–10 IRB Sevens World Series.

He was named in the Blitzbokke squad for the Hong Kong and Japan legs of the Sevens Series.[7][8] and came in as injury cover for the 2013 South Africa Sevens at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth,[9] where he was a member of the squad that defeated New Zealand 26–17 in the finals.[10]

In 2014, he scored a hat trick against Kenya on Day 1 of the Gold Coast Sevens. It helped contribute to South Africa booking a spot in the quarter-finals.[11]

Hunt sustained a fractured foot during training prior to the 2015 Hong Kong Sevens, which ruled him out for the rest of the series.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Steven Hunt – Professional SA Sevens Rugby Player". nutritech.co.za. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  2. ^ "Steven Hunt: Tackling The Corporate World". MyPlayers. 25 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  3. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Platinum Leopards 3–37 Vodacom Western Province". South African Rugby Union. 18 September 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  4. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Ford Pumas 13–24 DHL Western Province". South African Rugby Union. 26 August 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  5. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – GWK Griquas 35–41 DHL Western Province". South African Rugby Union. 3 September 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  6. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – DHL Western Province 49–21 Platinum Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 10 September 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  7. ^ "BlitzBokke Hunt with Steven". rugby365.com. 14 March 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  8. ^ "Senatla returns for Blitzbokke but Afrika out". World Rugby. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  9. ^ "Blitzboks bring in backup". sarugbymag.co.za. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  10. ^ "Three Blitzboks for George Sevens". sarugbymag.co.za. 8 January 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  11. ^ "Hat-tricks from Seabelo Senatla, Ruhan Nel & Steven Hunt confirm Blitzbokke spot in Gold Coast quarters". FLANKER. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  12. ^ "Blitzbokke lose Hunt for Hong Kong". sport24.co.za. 10 March 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.