Gavin Hill

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Gavin Hill
Personal information
Full name Gavin Hill
Date of birth December 11 1965 ( 1965-12-11) (age 42)
Place of birth Flag of New Zealand Okato, New Zealand
Height 191cm
Weight 110kg
Nickname Mountain man or Maumau
Rugby league career
Position Prop/Second Row
Amateur clubs
1997  Northcote
Professional clubs Caps (points)
1992-93

1993

1994
1995-6 
Canterbury (AUS)
Featherstone Rovers
Waikato
Auckland
43

8

16
14
(210)

(15)

(164)
(18)
National teams
1992-96
1994
1996

1996 
New Zealand
NZ Residents
New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Nines
8
4
2

6
(24)
(42)
(12)

(16)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Flanker / Number 8
Amateur clubs
1983-86
1986-87
1988-90
1990-91
1998-00
Eltham
Kirwee
Shirley
Hutt Old Boys
Oriental Rongotai
Professional clubs Caps (points)
1998-99

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

18
(60)

(18)
Provincial/State sides    
1982-86
1986-90
1990-91
Taranaki
Canterbury
Wellington
24
25
43
(58)
(102)
(104)
National team(s)    
1991

1991
New Zealand Māori
Southern Maori
1

1
(4)

(8)
7's National teams Tournaments
1984-86
1986-90

1990-91
Taranaki
Canterbury

Wellington

(Runners up 1986-89, Champions 1990)
(Runners up 1991)
Coaching career
2001-02
2003-04
2005-06
2007
Velox-Valhallians-(CAN)
Greytown-Tuhirangi
Oriental-Rongotai
Greytown-Tuhirangi

Gavin Hill (born in Okato December 11, 1965, New Zealand) was a rugby league and rugby union player, who has resided in Wellington for the last 10 years.

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.

[edit] 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 goal kicking competition. Participants included Grant Fox, Richard Wilson, Mark Finlay, Allan Hewson, Richard Dunn and Robbie Deans - notable for being All Blacks. Hill now coaches club rugby in the Wairarapa domestic club competition.

[edit] 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 Kiwis 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 five games of rugby league for the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs.