Hunter Rugby Union: Max McGavern set to live out boyhood dream with Canada call up

McGavern's dad, Daniel, earned 15 caps for Bermuda and also played sevens for the island nation.

"I have been a rugby kid since I could walk," the 18-year-old said. "Dad played for the Waratahs and each Saturday I would go down to Waratah Oval with him and be ball boy."

Now in year 12 at renowned rugby nursery, St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill, McGavern will represent Canada under-18s against The Netherlands, USA and Belgium in a tournament in Amsterdam next month.

McGavern qualifies for Canada through his mum and proud Canuck Lisa.

He earned selection at a training camp in Vancouver in April.

"I had no idea what to expect when I went over there," McGavern said. "It was nerve-racking meeting them at the team hotel after travelling half way across the world. We trained double sessions every day and had two trial games. They were pretty keen to find out what things were like in Australia and I was keen to learn off them. I managed to score a try in the final minute of the final game.""

McGavern heads to Amsterdam on July 1 and hopes to make a mark.

"I want to start," he said. "They pick a back three and we are fairly interchangeable."

Canada is a developing rugby nation, especially at youth level.

"Trying to make it in Australia is a lot harder,"McGavern said. "A lot of the Canadian boys go to boarding school and play on an artificial pitch maybe twice a week. I get the luxury of being at Joeys where we have six fields and I train twice a day sometimes."

McGavern played in the Joeys first XV against Oakhill last month but has mainly been playing in the twos and threes.

As well as selection in the Canada under-18s, McGavern has been offered a scholarship at the University of British Columbia.

"UBC is one of the top universities in the world," McGavern said. "That wouldn't have happened if I didn't go to Joeys or the selection camp."

Daniel McGavern was part of the Waratahs' premiership winning sides in 2003 and 2006 and is a five-times winner of the Hunter leading try-scorers award.

"Dad still plays fourth grade for Wanderers and we have a bit of a try-scoring competition going," Max said. "I have seven this season and he has three."

As well as a talented rugby player, Max is among the best young Olympic weightlifters in Australia.

He was the 2022 NSW Junior lifter of the year, is the national youth squad and boasts a personal best of 103 kilograms for the snatch and 131kg for the clean and jerk.

""In off-season, I am in the gym five days a week for about six hours," he said. "During rugby season, the body is always recovering and I am in the gym about half of that.

"The strength side of it obviously helps my game. Rugby will always been my first sport."

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