Simon Hunt (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Simon Hunt is an English rugby union
footballer currently centrally contracted to the England Sevens
squad for the 2011-2012 IRB Sevens World Series
.
. He joined Premiership side London Irish
in 2000 from Rosslyn Park
, making seven appearances for the club. He left England for France in 2002 to continue his playing career at RC Narbonne
. He was then transferred to USA Perpignan
and featured in the 2003 Heineken Cup Final
against Toulouse. The following season Hunt suffered a serious multi-ligament injury to his left leg.
He returned to England in 2004 and completed his rehabilitation at Sale Sharks
before signing for Ebbw Vale
and then Bristol. He made two national league appearances for Bristol in the 2004-2005 season, scoring two tries, however re-signed for Ebbw Vale in 2005. During this second spell at Ebbw Vale Hunt broke into the Newport Gwent Dragons
squad and made a Magners League appearance against Edinburgh.
. During the 2009-2010 season Hunt scored 11 league tries, including 6 in the relegation play offs. This was followed by an impressive 17 league tries during 2010-2011, a season in which the club were relegated.
Following the relegation of Birmingham and Solihull Simon chose to leave the club and as of the 2011-2012 season is centrally contracted to the England Sevens squad.
in 2001 and also competed for the first ever Great Britain Sevens team at the 2001 World Games. After a six year absence, Hunt returned to the national sevens squad between 2006 and 2008. However, following off-field behavior at the 2008 London Sevens he was internationally exiled for two years by head coach Ben Ryan until being recalled for the 2010 London Floodlit Sevens. Since then Hunt has reclaimed a regular starting position within the side and played at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
in Delhi.
He has also represented the Barbarians
and made regular appearances on the invitational sevens circuit, in particular for the Samurai International outfit.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer currently centrally contracted to the England Sevens
England national rugby union team (sevens)
The English national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.-Honours:* 1973 International Seven-A-Side Tournament - Winners* Rugby World Cup Sevens Winners 1993* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2002* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2003*...
squad for the 2011-2012 IRB Sevens World Series
IRB Sevens World Series
The IRB Sevens World Series, known officially as the HSBC Sevens World Series as of the 2010-11 season, through sponsorship from banking group HSBC, and also sometimes called the World Sevens Series, is a series of international rugby union sevens tournaments organised for the first time in the...
.
Early Career
Simon attended The John Fisher SchoolThe John Fisher School
The John Fisher Old Boys Association is an exclusive members club for past pupils and teachers of The John Fisher School in Purley, Surrey.Membership of the Association is available to all former pupils of the John Fisher School and those members and former members of the School Staff who are...
. He joined Premiership side London Irish
London Irish
London Irish RFC is an English rugby union club based in Sunbury, Surrey, where the senior squad train, the youth teams and senior academy play home games, and the club maintain their administrative offices. The senior squad play home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading and compete in the top...
in 2000 from Rosslyn Park
Rosslyn Park
Rosslyn Park may refer to:* Rosslyn Park, South Australia, a suburb of Adelaide* Rosslyn Park F.C., a rugby union team in England...
, making seven appearances for the club. He left England for France in 2002 to continue his playing career at RC Narbonne
RC Narbonne
Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée is a French rugby union club that play in the second-level Rugby Pro D2, after finishing at the bottom of the 2006-07 Top 14 table....
. He was then transferred to USA Perpignan
USA Perpignan
Union Sportive des Arlequins Perpignanais or Unió eSportiva Arlequins de Perpinyà , generally abbreviated as USAP in both languages, is a French rugby union club that plays in the city of Perpignan in Pyrénées-Orientales. The club currently competes in the Top 14, the top level of the French...
and featured in the 2003 Heineken Cup Final
2003 Heineken Cup Final
The 2003 Heineken Cup Final was the final match of the 2002–03 Heineken Cup, the eighth season of Europe's top club rugby union competition. The match was played on 24 May 2003 at Lansdowne Road in Dublin. The match was contested by Toulouse and Perpignan, both of France. Toulouse became the second...
against Toulouse. The following season Hunt suffered a serious multi-ligament injury to his left leg.
He returned to England in 2004 and completed his rehabilitation at Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
before signing for Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale is a town at the head of the valley formed by the Ebbw Fawr tributary of the Ebbw River, south Wales. It is the largest town and the administrative centre of Blaenau Gwent county borough...
and then Bristol. He made two national league appearances for Bristol in the 2004-2005 season, scoring two tries, however re-signed for Ebbw Vale in 2005. During this second spell at Ebbw Vale Hunt broke into the Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup...
squad and made a Magners League appearance against Edinburgh.
Recent Career
Hunt began his second spell at Birmingham and Solihull R.F.C. (he had made two national league appearances for the club during a brief stint at the end of the 2004-2005 season) at the beginning of the 2008-2009 season. In scoring 31 league tries Hunt contributed greatly in helping "The Bees" secure promotion to the RFU ChampionshipRFU Championship
The RFU Championship replaced National Division One as the second tier in the English rugby union system in September 2009. Unlike National Division One, which is semi-professional, the RFU Championship is a fully professional league.-History:...
. During the 2009-2010 season Hunt scored 11 league tries, including 6 in the relegation play offs. This was followed by an impressive 17 league tries during 2010-2011, a season in which the club were relegated.
Following the relegation of Birmingham and Solihull Simon chose to leave the club and as of the 2011-2012 season is centrally contracted to the England Sevens squad.
International Career
Hunt's international career got off to a promising start. Whilst studying at St Mary's University he represented England Students and England U21. He made his debut for England SevensEngland national rugby union team (sevens)
The English national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.-Honours:* 1973 International Seven-A-Side Tournament - Winners* Rugby World Cup Sevens Winners 1993* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2002* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2003*...
in 2001 and also competed for the first ever Great Britain Sevens team at the 2001 World Games. After a six year absence, Hunt returned to the national sevens squad between 2006 and 2008. However, following off-field behavior at the 2008 London Sevens he was internationally exiled for two years by head coach Ben Ryan until being recalled for the 2010 London Floodlit Sevens. Since then Hunt has reclaimed a regular starting position within the side and played at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
in Delhi.
He has also represented the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
and made regular appearances on the invitational sevens circuit, in particular for the Samurai International outfit.