Bryn Gatland
Bryn Gatland (born 10 May 1995) is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a fly-half for North Harbour in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup[1] and the Chiefs in the international Super Rugby competition. Gatland is the son of former rugby union footballer and current Chiefs coach Warren Gatland.[2]
Date of birth | 10 May 1995 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Huntly, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 177 cm (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 88 kg (194 lb; 13 st 12 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Hamilton Boys' High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Warren Gatland (father) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Youth career
Born and raised in Waikato, Gatland attended Southwell School where he played first XI cricket & first team Rugby. Later while at Hamilton Boys' High School, his late drop goal in the final helped Boys High lift the 2013 Top 4 first XV title against Saint Kentigern College.[3]
Senior career
Gatland made the Waikato squad for the 2015 ITM Cup, but due to the emergence of future All Black Damian McKenzie in the number 10 jersey, his game time was limited to just a solitary substitute appearance against the Bay of Plenty. The signings of the new Fly Halves, Sam Christie and Stephen Donald for 2016 prompted Gatland to head north to Auckland and try his luck with North Harbour.
His decision to move to Harbour proved to be an enlightened one as his form at Fly Half saw the more experienced Matt McGahan shifted to fullback to accommodate him. Gatland played all 12 games during the 2016 season and scored 123 points as North Harbour won the Mitre 10 Cup Championship with an upset victory away to Otago and secured a place in the 2017 Premiership.[3][4][5]
On 8 April 2017 Gatland was named on the Blues bench for the match against the Highlanders to cover for the injured Ihaia West.[6] However he was not used and did not make his Super Rugby debut.
A week later, on 15 April 2017, he made his debut from the bench against the Hurricanes. He converted a try and a penalty kick, scoring his first Super Rugby points.
Gatland became a regular starter for the Blues in the 2018 Super Rugby season, with injuries to Stephen Perofeta and Otere Black, the latter of whom suffered a season-ending injury before even making his Blues debut. Gatland is currently the leading points-scorer of the competition, having scored 30 points from three games, including two tries. Gatland's try against the Highlanders on 23 February was his first Super Rugby try, although it did not stop the Blues losing to the Highlanders 34-41.
References
- "Bryn Gatland North Harbour Player Profile". Harbour Rugby. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- "Bryn Gatland: I can't wait to face Dad's Lions - but still want him to beat All Blacks". The Telegraph. 1 June 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
- "Rugby: Bryn Gatland makes right moving heading north". New Zealand Herald. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- "Bryn Gatland itsrugby Player Statistics". itsrugby. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- "Bryn Gatland Waikato Player Profile". Mooloo Rugby. Archived from the original on 23 November 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- "Blues name their 23 to face the Highlanders". Stuff. Retrieved 8 April 2017.