Matt Dunning facts for kids
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| Date of birth | 19 December 1978 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Calgary, Alberta, Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 119 kg (18 st 10 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Northholm Grammar School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Macquarie University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Father - John Dunning Mother - Christine Dunning Brothers - Casey and Josh Dunning | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Emma | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | James, Ben - William and Thomas Dunning | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Partner & Business Occupier Advisor at ResolveXO | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Matthew Dunning (born December 19, 1978) is a former Australian rugby union player. He was a prop, which is a strong player in the front row of a rugby scrum. Matt played for big teams like the Waratahs and Western Force in a competition called Super Rugby. He also played for the national team, Australia, often called the Wallabies. After playing, he coached the Balmain rugby club in Sydney.
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Early Life and School Rugby
Matt Dunning was born in Calgary, Canada. However, he grew up in Sydney, Australia. He went to Northholm Grammar School. In 1996, he was chosen to play for New South Wales. This was at the Australian Schools Rugby Championships. He later played for Australian Schools, and then for the Under-19 and Under-21 national teams. His brother, Casey Dunning, also became a rugby prop for Canada.
Matt Dunning's Rugby Career
Matt Dunning started his professional rugby career in 2000. He made his first appearance for the New South Wales Waratahs. His first Super Rugby match was in 2001 against the Chiefs.
Playing for Australia
Matt made his international debut for Australia in 2003. This was during the 2003 Rugby World Cup. His first game was against Namibia. Australia won that match by a huge score of 142-0. This was Australia's biggest winning margin ever. He also played in the World Cup final against England, which Australia lost closely.
The Famous Drop Goal
Matt Dunning is remembered for a surprising moment in the 2003 Super 12 season. His team, the Waratahs, needed an extra point to reach the finals. They were playing with an advantage, meaning they would get a penalty if the play stopped. Matt tried to kick a drop goal, hoping to miss it. This would stop the play and give them a penalty. He thought they could then try for a try to get the needed point. But, his kick went straight through the posts! This meant they got three points, but not the bonus point they needed. It was a funny and unexpected moment.
Later Career and Injuries
Matt was also part of the 2007 Rugby World Cup squad. He played in all four of Australia's matches. This included the quarter-final loss to England.
In 2008, Matt got a serious injury to his Achilles tendon. This happened while playing for Australia against the Barbarians. The game was at Wembley Stadium, and the ground was not stable. This injury kept him from playing in the 2009 Super 14 season. After recovering and playing well for his Sydney club Eastwood, he returned to the Australian team. In 2010, he joined the Western Force team and played for two seasons.
In 2011, Matt planned to play in France for Biarritz Olympique. However, he had to return to Sydney for neck surgery. He played his last top-level rugby game for Eastwood. They won the Shute Shield Grand Final in 2011. After this, he retired from playing professional rugby.
