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Mitch Hunt's simple message to Super Rugby players in search of opportunities across New Zealand

Mitch Hunt. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Highlanders playmaker Mitch Hunt has a simple message for Kiwi Super Rugby players looking elsewhere to gain more minutes on the field: do it.

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Speaking to media on Wednesday, Hunt revealed he has signed a two-year contract extension with the Highlanders that will keep him in Dunedin until 2023.

It comes two years after it was announced that the 25-year-old would move south from the Crusaders, the franchise where he landed his first Super Rugby gig in 2016.

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Hunt stayed in Christchurch for a further three seasons as he helped the Crusaders claim a hat-trick of Super Rugby titles between 2017 and 2019.

His role in those championships were somewhat limited, though, as he was largely confined to a bench role behind the mercurial Richie Mo’unga, who was named by Jeff Wilson and Mils Muliaina as the greatest-ever Super Rugby player earlier this week.

That led Hunt to weigh up his options and move to Forsyth Barr Stadium in search of more playing time to help fully realise his potential.

That decision has paid dividends as Hunt has played in every Highlanders match since the beginning of the 2020 season, impressing from both first-five and fullback.

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Hunt’s form earned him a call-up to the North Island squad for last year’s North vs South squad, thrusting into the conscience of the national selectors, and his influence for the Highlanders hasn’t diminished this season.

It comes as no surprise, then, that Hunt has decided to throw his lot in with the Highlanders for another two years.

“I think it was initiated by the club first, which was great,” Hunt said.

“I’ve just loved my time here. I think the fact that, moving from Christchurch, I’ve played every game possible, hence the reason for my move down, which was the opportunity [to play more often].

“I’m stoked to be back with the group because I’ve had such a great time down here. The purpose of moving was great and the people were fantastic, so I think that decision became really easy for me in sticking around.”

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As living proof of how beneficial it can be to move to another franchise in pursuit of more minutes, Hunt urged others in his position across the country to consider such an option as his own move has been a career-changer.

“I think you can look at the likes of myself, guys like [current Highlanders and ex-Crusaders flanker] Billy Harmon, and if the opportunity is not here and it’s somewhere else, I think you can see where you get regular game time, and if it is here, fantastic.

“What it can do to your game, your confidence, and I think the growth, for me, has been humongous coming in here, hence why I want to stick around as well.

“I think if that becomes an opportunity for a player to get more minutes and grow, then I think it’s beneficial.”

Hunt has again been named to start at first-five for the Highlanders against the Rebels in a match that has been moved from Queenstown to Sydney amid Melbourne’s recent COVID-19 outbreak.

Despite the disruptive lead-up to the match, which will now be played at Leichardt Oval, Hunt is excited to face another Australian side after having already dispatched the Reds and Force in the past fortnight.

“It’s actually refreshing.You’ve been a couple years out of playing those guys and, to be fair, there’s only a couple of faces that you sort of recognise,” he said.

“There’s a lot of younger guys around that Aussie set-up who you don’t know, so even in terms of the previewing the groups, you don’t know a lot of these guys, you’re trying to work out how these guys play, the style of the Aussie teams.

“You’re not quite sure of what the intensity is going to be like when you get out there on the field until you get there, so a lot of things like that around the unknown is actually refreshing for the whole circle of it.”

Kick-off for the Highlanders’ clash against the Rebels is scheduled for 3pm Sunday local time [5pm NZT].

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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