Mitchell Graham

Mitchell Graham (born 30 January 1991) is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a prop for Taranaki in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Chiefs in the international Super Rugby competition.[1][2][3][4][5]

Mitchell Graham
Date of birth (1991-01-30) 30 January 1991
Place of birthMatamata, New Zealand
Height1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight122 kg (19 st 3 lb; 269 lb)
SchoolSt Peter's School
UniversityUniversity of Canterbury
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Current team Taranaki / Chiefs
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013 Canterbury 1 (0)
2014− Taranaki 34 (0)
2015− Chiefs 25 (5)
Correct as of 2 April 2018

Early career

Born in the rural Waikato town of Matamata, he was educated at St Peter's School, Cambridge where he played first XV rugby. During his high school years, he represented Waikato at under-16 level before moving to Christchurch to study chemical engineering at the University of Canterbury. While in Christchurch, Graham represented Canterbury at under-18 and under-21 level.[5][6]

Senior career

Graham made one appearance for Canterbury in 2013 while still studying at university before heading north to join the Taranaki Bulls after graduation.

The move to Taranaki immediately played off as he started all 12 of their games during the 2014 season which culminated in them lifting the ITM Cup Premiership title with a 36–32 victory over Tasman in the final. He was again an ever present in the number 1 jersey through 2015 with the Bulls this time faltering at the semi-final stage. He took his run of consecutive starts in a Taranaki jersey to 34 in 2016 with his side again reaching the competition's semi-finals before they went down to Tasman.[2]

Super Rugby

Graham's form in the loosehead prop position during Taranaki's 2014 title winning season brought him to the attention of Hamilton-based Super Rugby franchise, the Chiefs, who named him as a member of their squad for the 2015 Super Rugby season.[7] Competing against Jamie Mackintosh and Pauliasi Manu for the number 1 jersey, Graham made an impressive 10 appearances during his debut season in Super Rugby. He remained a member of the squad through 2016 and with Manu missing the majority of the campaign through injury, Graham was able to establish himself as the Chiefs first-choice loosehead prop, playing 14 times and scoring 1 try.[2] He was again named in the Chiefs squad for the 2017 Super Rugby season.[4]

Playing for the Chiefs in the 2017 Brisbane Tens Graham fractured the tibia and fibula in his left leg, in a potentially career-ending injury.[8]

Career Honours

Canterbury

Taranaki

Statistics

Club
As of 2 April 2018[2]
SeasonTeamGamesStartsSubMinsTriesConsPensDropsPointsYelRed
ITM Cup / Mitre 10 Cup
2013Canterbury101160000000
2014Taranaki121207780000000
2015Taranaki111107350000010
2016Taranaki111107880000000
2017Taranaki1010067720001000
Super Rugby
2015Chiefs10554310000000
2016Chiefs141047371000510
Total2415911681000510

References
  1. "Mitchell Graham Taranaki Player Profile". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  2. "Mitchell Graham itsrugby.co.uk Player Statistics". itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  3. "Mitchell Graham ESPN Scrum Player Profile". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  4. "Chiefs 2017 Squad Guide" (PDF). All Blacks.com. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  5. "Mitchell Graham Chiefs Player Profile". Chiefs Rugby. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  6. "Chiefs' Mitchell Graham the new breed of front rower". Rugby Heaven. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  7. "Graham returning to Chiefs as props recruited". Waikato Times. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  8. NZME, Christopher Reive Christopher Reive is a sports reporter for (10 November 2018). "Rugby: Chiefs prop Mitchell Graham hopeful of top level return, but admits he may not play again" – via www.nzherald.co.nz.
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