It’s been nothing short of a unique – with a journey that began in rugby league, featured a stint in the AFL and finally landed in rugby – for dual-international, Karmichael Hunt.
The experienced outside back will earn his 50th Super Rugby cap against the Brumbies at GIO Stadium this Sunday afternoon.
With some time spent up north with the Reds (32) before his arrival in Daceyville in 2019, Hunt was unaware of the impending milestone.
“I didn’t realise until I got told this morning,” he told Rugby.com.au.
As with all milestones, it provides a small window to reflect and Hunt said he was grateful to the Waratahs for providing him the chance to continue his Super Rugby career.
“There's been some ups, been some downs but finally I think I've turned the corner back on the up which has been great,” he said.
“I’ve definitely enjoyed the last couple of years of footy here in NSW, really grateful for the opportunity that I got last year to come down and join the team that they had with Daryl and whatnot.
“This year's a bit of a different process for us, got a new coach, pretty much a new team with some old heads that have hung around.
“I’m really just enjoying turning up each day working on my craft, trying to get better as a player but most importantly helping the team improve as well.
“I feel we're on the right track but obviously not playing enough good football and we’re going to need to do that on the weekend.”
Looking ahead to the Brumbies, Hunt said the Tahs would be looking for a big improvement following a tough second half against the Chiefs in Round 6.
“The focus for us this week is to stop shooting ourselves in our foot, make sure we turn up and have a physical mindset against a Brumbies team that are going to attack our breakdown and then go out there and play football in the right zones.
“We know our footy's good enough when we play it in the right areas and we hold onto the ball, it's just about now getting a bigger slice of the pie when it comes to time and possession.”
The Brumbies will certainly provide tough opposition, but Hunt is looking forward to the challenge a derby fixture in the nation’s capital presents.
“I think it couldn't come at a better time,” Hunt said.
“You don't need a lot of motivation to get out of bed for the rivalry games, let alone the Brumbies who are just down the road, who from my understanding probably treat this just as important as the rivalry they have as well.
“I think the history is they feel like they've probably had the raw end of the deal, a lot of those players, when it comes to the Waratahs and their playing history but they'll be fired up just as much as we'll be fired up and I think that makes for a good clash.”
