Gavin Hill

Gavin Hill
Birth nameGavin Hill
Date of birth (1965-12-11) 11 December 1965 (age 53)
Place of birthOkato, New Zealand
Height191 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight110 kg (17 st 5 lb; 240 lb)
Rugby league career
Position(s) Prop, Second-row
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1997 Northcote ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1992–93

1993

1994
1995-96
Canterbury (AUS)
Featherstone Rovers
Waikato
Auckland
43

8

16
14
(210)

(15)

(164)
(18)
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1992–96
1994

1996
1996
NZ Kiwis
NZ Residents
NZ Māori
NZ Nines
8
4

2
6
(24)
(42)

(12)
(16)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker / Number 8
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1983–86
1986–87
1988–90
1990–91
1998-00
Eltham
Kirwee
Shirley
Hutt Old Boys
Oriental Rongotai
63
34
50
48
48
(502)
(79)
(108)
(180)
(91)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1998–99

2001–02
Terenure College (IRE)
Velox Valhallians (CAN)
28

18
(60)

(18)
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1982–86
1986–90
1990–91
Taranaki
Canterbury
Wellington
24
25
43
(58)
(102)
(104)
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1991
1991
NZ Māori
Southern Maori
1
1
(4)
(8)
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
1984–86
1986–90




1990–91
Taranaki
Canterbury




Wellington
Teams coached
Years Team
2001–02
2003–04
2005–06
2007
2008
Velox Valhallians
Greytown Tuhirangi
Oriental Rongotai
Greytown Tuhirangi
College Rifles
Auckland Storm

Gavin Lyle Hill[1] (born 11 December 1965 in Okato, New Zealand) is a New Zealand former rugby union and rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, and rugby union coach of the 2000s. He resided in Wellington for 10-years before moving back to Auckland in 2008 to take a coaching position in the Air New Zealand Cup.

He was a flanker and number eight in rugby union and then a prop/second-row in 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 both Taranaki and Canterbury before rugby took over his career.

Rugby union

He originally played rugby union as a flanker for the Taranaki, Canterbury and Wellington. He also represented the New Zealand Māori Team. Hill returned to rugby union in 1998 and played out the rest of his playing career in Wellington and 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 included Grant Fox, Richard Wilson, Mark Finlay, Allan Hewson, Richard Dunn and Robbie Deans – notable for being All 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 Warbrick went 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 50's 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 80's. Hill coached club rugby in the Wairarapa domestic club competition. He is now residing in Auckland coaching the Auckland Storm in the Air New Zealand Cup for 2008.[2]

Rugby league

He switched to rugby league in 1992, as union was not professional at that time. He played for the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs (1992–3), Featherstone Rovers (1993), Waikato Cougars (1994), Auckland Warriors (1995–6) and for the New Zealand Kiwis (1992–96) national side. He also represented New Zealand national rugby league team in the 1996 World Champion nines side in Fiji, the New Zealand Residents in 1994 and the New Zealand Māori league team notable for defeating the British Lions team and Papua New Guinea teams in 1996. After Hill finished with the Auckland Warriors, he played a season in the domestic club competition in Auckland with the Northcote Tigers before 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


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