Will Grant lives in Rouchel (pronounced 'Roo Kill' he tells me) - a small town in the Upper Hunter, and was introduced to Rugby Union when he started as a boarder at the Kings School in Sydney. He played his junior rugby as a rugby league player in the surrounding league competitions offered near his rural home. In his senior high school years, Will moved to Riverview College where he played in the first XV for two years and cemented his love of union.
Following school , he headed to New Zealand and was signed to the provincial competition, the Mitre 10 Cup competition, playing for Northland. It is the second highest level of competition in NZ and Will is returning to NZ for the next season, leaving his beloved farming life again in Australia.
Will talks about growing up in very rural and isolated NSW and playing rugby league asa youngster, with dreams of becoming a wests tigers player, his beloved team.
He was introduced to Rugby Union when he attended boarding school in Sydney, and did not look back. Following school, he spread his wings and ventured to New Zealand, where he was picked up by the provincial club, Northland in the Mitre 10 Cup.
Will talks about his development as a player and person in New Zealand and how the rugby experience across the ditch has been invaluable in his understanding of the game and application of his rugby skills.
He is back in Australia on the farm, but talks about how keen he is to get back to NZ and play, following a Covid enforced break, with aspirations of playing in a Super Rugby team, the next step for him in his career.
We talk about his desire to play for the Wallabies, and how he will need tor eturn to play domestically if he wants to achieve that goal.
We talk about the positive culture in NZ and the love of Rugby there, and the off field community feel to the game in the very successful rugby nation. We talk about the differences on the field with the way the game is played there, and what Will has learnt from many notable players he has had the opportunity to be exposed to and involved with in his time there.
We discuss how he was heavily influenced by Rugby league at a young age as rugby union did not have the same presence in the bush, and we talk about the lack of opportunity for country kids to immerse themselves in union due to the lack of nearby competitions.
Will talks about the future, heading back to NZ, and how he has appreciated the huge rainfalls we have been experiencing which is helping farm life. He hopes to get Upper Rouchel in the spotlight one day when he pulls on the green and gold jersey and plays for the Wallabies.
Upper Rouchel
Scone
Mitre 10 Cup
NZ Rugby
Super Rugby
Upper Hunter
Riverview College
The King's School
Dane Inman
Northland Taniwha
Hora Hora
Whangarei
Will Grant lives in Rouchel (pronounced 'Roo Kill' he tells me) - a small town in the Upper Hunter, and was introduced to Rugby Union when he started as a boarder at the Kings School in Sydney. He played his junior rugby as a rugby league player in the surrounding league competitions offered near his rural home. In his senior high school years, Will moved to Riverview College where he played in the first XV for two years and cemented his love of union.
Following school , he headed to New Zealand and was signed to the provincial competition, the Mitre 10 Cup competition, playing for Northland. It is the second highest level of competition in NZ and Will is returning to NZ for the next season, leaving his beloved farming life again in Australia.
Will talks about growing up in very rural and isolated NSW and playing rugby league asa youngster, with dreams of becoming a wests tigers player, his beloved team.
He was introduced to Rugby Union when he attended boarding school in Sydney, and did not look back. Following school, he spread his wings and ventured to New Zealand, where he was picked up by the provincial club, Northland in the Mitre 10 Cup.
Will talks about his development as a player and person in New Zealand and how the rugby experience across the ditch has been invaluable in his understanding of the game and application of his rugby skills.
He is back in Australia on the farm, but talks about how keen he is to get back to NZ and play, following a Covid enforced break, with aspirations of playing in a Super Rugby team, the next step for him in his career.
We talk about his desire to play for the Wallabies, and how he will need tor eturn to play domestically if he wants to achieve that goal.
We talk about the positive culture in NZ and the love of Rugby there, and the off field community feel to the game in the very successful rugby nation. We talk about the differences on the field with the way the game is played there, and what Will has learnt from many notable players he has had the opportunity to be exposed to and involved with in his time there.
We discuss how he was heavily influenced by Rugby league at a young age as rugby union did not have the same presence in the bush, and we talk about the lack of opportunity for country kids to immerse themselves in union due to the lack of nearby competitions.
Will talks about the future, heading back to NZ, and how he has appreciated the huge rainfalls we have been experiencing which is helping farm life. He hopes to get Upper Rouchel in the spotlight one day when he pulls on the green and gold jersey and plays for the Wallabies.
Upper Rouchel
Scone
Mitre 10 Cup
NZ Rugby
Super Rugby
Upper Hunter
Riverview College
The King's School
Dane Inman
Northland Taniwha
Hora Hora
Whangarei