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A major Queenstown company helped the Highlanders rugby team secure its biggest signing for next year – high-flying Hosea Gear.
Queenstowner Mike Davies confirms his family’s Trojan Holdings put “a substantial five-figure sum” towards the Super 15 franchise luring the explosive All Black wing from the Hurricanes.
Davies says the signing arose from his friendship with Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph, whom he’s known since university days.
“[Joseph] was looking to bringing an X-factor player to the Highlanders and he asked if we could contribute if he found an X-factor player.
“And Hosea was an X-factor player.”
The eight-season Hurricane was the unluckiest player to not make the All Blacks’ original Rugby World Cup-winning squad – he was selected later but didn’t get any game-time.
Davies says that the team will need some strike-power next season “as they will be in a new [indoor Dunedin] stadium where it will be fine every week”.
Joseph has hailed Gear’s signing as “a huge score”.
“Hosea has a combined speed, power and athleticism that makes him a standout in any team he plays in, and he’s a nuisance for anyone defending him.”
Gear, 27, says he can’t thank the Davies family and Trojan Holdings, which has major property and tourism interests, enough.
“They’re really good buggers as well, so it’s easy to get along with them.”
Gear caught up with Mike Davies in Queenstown during the Highlanders’ pre-season visit to the resort, which included social cricket and a hike up the Greenstone River valley.
For Gear it was his first visit to Queenstown: “I was quite surprised – it was like a totally different country.
“It was just awesome and something totally different to little old Gisborne where I’m from.
“I rang my partner up straight away and said, ‘We’re coming through here the next break we get’.
“I’ve heard lots of stories about Queenstown but it’s not until you get there that you realise how beautiful the place is.”
Gear says he’s already enjoying the team culture at the Highlanders.
“I think the timing was right for me and my family, we’re really looking forward to the move.”
Queenstown will be a regular haunt, he promises: “We’re only just down the road in Dunedin so it’ll be easy to make the trip up.”
Also read:Highlanders having a ball in Wakatipu and This here's Highlanders country
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