Josh Hunt popular double centurion in Wellington club rugby

• By Steven White

Josh Hunt is the player that every team wants in their squad.

As well as being one of the most experienced players playing Premier rugby in Wellington this season, personal reflections and achievements are secondary to team ones, although there are many of both spanning the past two decades.

The Upper Hutt Rams tick those boxes right now.

“I am just happy to still be a part of the club and contribute where I can and do what I have got to do to do the best for my team,” said Hunt.

“One other thing keeping me going is my two boys. My nine year old Rico is the one that is always saying to me keep going dad.”

Playing this season – his 20^th in Premier rugby since his debut in 2006 – meant filling in off the bench and generally being around to impart all his knowledge on to younger players coming through.

However, injuries put paid to that for much of the Swindale Shield round. “I was going to be the sub-man this year and be happy with my 20-30 minutes, but with injuries in the backs I think I have started over five games. I have been checking in on the injured players every second day as to when they are going to be back to take my place!”

Indeed, Hunt was in the Rams match-day squad in all the Rams’ first 10 matches this season and made six starts at centre, with the likes of Emmanuel Solomona, Ieti Campbell and Dan Schrijvers absent from the backline for much of this time. Solomona and Campbell both returned this past Saturday in the heart-breaking loss to Paremata-Plimmerton as Hunt had the weekend off

Two Friday nights ago, the loose forward – turned midfielder ran out to play his 200^th Premier match in Wellington and the Rams faithful as well as his friends and family were all there to make the occasion.

Not that he noticed too much during the game. “I have never really looked up at the crowds when I play, but I know and appreciate that we got a lot of people out that night and the Rams supporters are also a big part of what makes out club tick.”

The 200 games is combined Premier appearances for the Upper Hutt/Upper Hutt Rams and Northern United clubs, whom he had two short and successful stints at.

He has also played numerous matches for both clubs in their Premier 2 teams over the years.

It all started for Hunt in 2005 when he left St Pat’s Silverstream after starting at Upper Hutt College and joined the nearby club.

“I spent my first season in the Colts under then coach Dave Rennie and we won the grade. We didn’t have any big stars; we just worked hard together and ended up beating Johnsonville in a low scoring final.”

Traits that have set up him up for a two-decade career and counting.

That same season the Upper Hutt Premier side won the Swindale Shield and made the semi-finals of the Jubilee Cup so Maidstone Park was bursting with success.

Hunt recalls he started in the Premiers the following year, 2006, as an openside flanker. Upper Hutt made the Jubilee Cup semi-finals in 2008 and again in 2009.

It was then that he moved to Norths for the first time, at the invitation of then Norths and his Wellington Samoa representative coach Frank Rees.

“I initially went to Petone for some pre-season training and then on to Norths. I liked the culture there at the time and Frank Rees was welcoming, so I signed on to play for Norths.

This was not just any Norths team – one of those Tawa or Old Boys University teams would come close, but the 2010 Norths team was perhaps the most memorable Premier team this century so far.

“Playing for that Norths at openside flanker that year and in the semis and the final [the last final to be played on Wellington Stadium] is a huge career highlight for me.

He retuned for a second season at Norths in 2011. “We won the Swindale Shield, and I played in the final round of the Jubilee Cup at 12 and 13, so that was the start of my transition to the midfield.”

“I was privileged to play alongside all these great players at Norths over this period.

Such as TJ Perenara. “I have vivid memories of TJ coming in, he was turning up to Norths like a full-blown professional already, with his muesli bard and protein shakes before and after training and he was still at school at Mana College.”

“Also playing with the late Nene Va’alepu in the midfield, he was a great player to line up alongside.”

He would also be part of the 2019 Jubilee Cup-winning squad in his second stint playing out of Porirua Park. “I got my winners’ badge but didn’t play in the final as I was in Samoa. Duplessis Kirifi coming in was a worthy replacement though!”

Back to Upper Hutt, and he was captain of the inaugural Upper Hutt Rams side in 2014.

Other highlights have been playing with his family.

Part of a large family, Josh is one of three brothers to have played a combined 100s of Premier games in Wellington club rugby. Prop Tui played for many years for Petone and Upper Hutt and hooker Elijah still plays for the Rams and Josh played in his 150^th Premier game last year.

This story is in association with Hunt Electrical, which is Elijah’s business

There is also former halfback Nua Fono-Hunt, who is the brothers’ cousin and who grew up in the Hunt household.

In 2015 the four brothers started together for the Rams in a Swindale Shield match:

Their nephew (their sister’s son) Shohn also currently plays for the Rams and Josh was happy to play his recent 200^th match alongside him.

The Luamanus are also cousins, with former professional player Mat having returned this year to captain the team.

Josh works as a builder during the week and is father to Rico (mentioned above) and three-year-old Kaizer.

Following three consecutive wins over Norths (36-19), the Axemen (62-19) and Wainuiomata (48-19), the Rams are back at home this Saturday to host Paremata-Plimmerton.

Both sides will be playing in the Jubilee Cup, but both will be looking for favourable ranking positions for the first week of these matches on 5 July.

“We are taking it game by game and just looking to grow and improve as a team. Because I don’t think we have had an 80-minute solid team effort yet.”

What is it going to take for the Rams to win the Jubilee Cup?

“We need to be working together as a whole club, which I feel in the past few years we definitely have been. From the Club Captain Tim Homan who does so much work in the background, right through to our management and coaches.”