Gavin Hill
Birth name | Gavin Hill | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 11 December 1965 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Ōkato,New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 191 cm (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 110 kg (17 st 5 lb; 240 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby league career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Prop,Second-row | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Gavin Lyle Hill[1](born 11 December 1965) is a New Zealand formerrugby unionandrugby leaguefootballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, andcoachedrugby unionthe 2000s. He resided inWellingtonfor 10-years before moving back to Auckland in 2008 to take a coaching position in the Air New Zealand Cup.
He was aflankerandnumber eightinrugby unionand then aprop/second-rowin league when he switched codes in 1991. In both rugby and league he was unusual, being a forward who kicked goals. Hill was also a very promising fast bowler and belligerent batsman in cricket for bothTaranakiandCanterburybefore rugby took over his career.
Rugby union
[edit]He originally played rugby union as a flanker for theTaranaki,CanterburyandWellington.He also represented theNew Zealand MāoriTeam. Hill returned to rugby union in 1998 and played out the rest of his playing career inWellingtonand alternating in the off seasons to Europe and Canada playing club rugby. He first made a name for himself as a 17-year-old when beat the cream of New Zealand rugby in a national goal kicking competition. Participants includedGrant Fox,Richard Wilson,Mark Finlay,Allan Hewson,Richard DunnandRobbie Deans– notable for beingAll Blacks.Hill comes from a prominent sporting family – 5 of his great uncles (Warbrick) were part of the first ever New Zealand team to leave New Zealand (1884 Native team). One of those brothers –Joe Warbrickwent on to become an All Black and play a major part in the beginnings of All Black rugby. Other notables were the famous All Black lock cum flanker during the 1950s Stan "Tiny" Hill who later went on to be an All Black selector. Tiny's two sons' Stan and John went on to represent New Zealand in Basketball and Stans' son Ben now is a current Tall Black. Hills father Brian was a prominent flanker for Taranaki and another uncle – Greg Hill played for the New Zealand Armed Services and Wanganui. His brother David was a New Zealand Armed Services representative. Another cousin Wayne Hill was a New Zealand Colt and prominent winger for North Harbour and Auckland during the 1980s. Hill coached club rugby in theWairarapadomestic club competition. He is now residing in Auckland coaching the Auckland Storm in the Air New Zealand Cup for 2008.[2]
Rugby league
[edit]He switched to rugby league in 1992, as union was not professional at that time. He played for theCanterbury Bankstown Bulldogs(1992–93),Featherstone Rovers(1993),Waikato Cougars(1994),Auckland Warriors(1995–96) and for theNew Zealand Kiwis(1992–96) national side. He also representedNew Zealand national rugby league teamin the 1996 World Champion nines side inFiji,theNew Zealand Residentsin 1994 and theNew Zealand Māorileague team notable for defeating theBritish Lionsteam andPapua New Guineateams in 1996. After Hill finished with the Auckland Warriors, he played a season in the domestic club competition inAucklandwith theNorthcote Tigersbefore he moved to Wellington and returned to rugby union successfully. Hill's transition from rugby union to rugby league was even more remarkable because he is one of the few forwards in rugby union to successfully make the switch. Hill made the New Zealand Kiwis only after three games of rugby league for the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs.
References
[edit]- ^HILL, GAVIN LYLE 1992 – 93 – KIWI #633Archived2 April 2012 at theWayback Machinenzleague.co.nz
- ^New Auckland Storm Coach NamedArchived29 February 2012 at theWayback MachineAuckland Rugby
- 1965 births
- Living people
- People educated at Stratford High School, New Zealand
- Canterbury rugby union players
- Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs players
- Featherstone Rovers players
- Māori All Blacks players
- New Zealand Māori rugby league team players
- New Zealand national rugby league team players
- New Zealand rugby league players
- New Zealand rugby union coaches
- New Zealand rugby union players
- New Zealand Warriors players
- Northcote Tigers players
- Rugby league players from Taranaki
- Rugby union players from Taranaki
- Rugby league props
- Rugby league second-rows
- Taranaki rugby union players
- Waikato rugby league team players
- Wellington rugby union players