Highlanders first-five Mitch Hunt may have woken up with more aches than usual this morning after being on the receiving end of a bone-rattling hit in yesterday’s loss to the Hurricanes.
Towards the end of the first half, Hunt gathered a high ball in his own half and looked to launch a counterattack but as he set up a move near the left wing he was lined up by Hurricanes hooker Asafo Aumua.
Hunt fired a pass away to his left as Aumua, who had one of his strongest games for the Hurricanes, came in from his right, leaving him wide open to big hit.
Aumua made the most of it.
The former Baby Blacks star laid out Hunt with a superb tackle, sparking an instant response from the crowd and commentary team.
“He certainly didn’t miss,” former Hurricane and All Black Christian Cullen said from the commentary booth.
“That’s just pretty good technique, that – but to be fair to Mitch Hunt, he’s got straight back up.”
Hunt stayed in the game as the Highlanders attempted a late comeback in Wellington but the southerners came up short, falling to 17-11 defeat – a blow which probably stung more.
SHARE ME