Mitchell Dunshea rugby player
Mitchell Dunshea rugby player

Mitchell Dunshea

18th Nov 1995 1.97m/114kg No 5 Lock

Hamilton-born Dunshea moved south to Lincoln High School just outside Christchurch at a young age.

Dunshea was named in the New Zealand U20s squad for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Italy, he helped the side to victory in the final and was named in the Canterbury squad for the 2015 ITM Cup.

He made his breakthrough in senior rugby playing in the 2015 ITM Cup where he made 11 appearances for Canterbury as they lifted the Premiership title with a 25-23 victory over Auckland in the final.

An excellent debut season for Canterbury saw him make the Crusaders wider training group for the 2016 Super Rugby season. Unfortunately, a foot injury ruled him out for the entire Super Rugby season, as well as the 2016 Mitre 10 Cup.

Dunshea was named in the Provincial Barbarians squad to face the British and Irish Lions and started the match at no.8 and played the full 80 minutes.

He played in one match for the Crusaders in 2017, before helping to Canterbury to yet another Mitre 10 Cup final.

Dunshea headed into the 2019 Super Rugby season with three caps for the Crusaders but the middle of May he had already doubled that figured before signing a new deal with the franchise for the 2020 Super Rugby season.

Dunshea was called into the All Blacks as injury replacement in 2020 travelling to Australia as part of the Tri-Nations but did not take the field.

After being sidelined with an injury for most of 2023, Dunshea joined Dunedin franchise, The Highlanders ahead of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season.

T.Z. 7 July 2023

Career

Untitled (1) Canterbury
No 5 Lock
2015 - present
highlanders Highlanders
No 4 Lock
2023 - present
nz New Zealand U20's
No 5 Lock
New Zealand New Zealand
No 4 Lock
2020 - 2020
Untitled design (11) Crusaders
No 5 Lock
2017 - 2023
Screen Shot 2017-04-27 at 09.45.28 NZ Provincial Barbarians XV
Blindside Flanker
2017 - 2023
1.ANGUS BELL 2. ROBBIE ABEL 3. HARRY JOHNSON-HOLMES 4. NED HANIG South Island
No 4 Lock
2020 - 2023