A stand out feature of the Highlanders 27-24 upset victory over the Crusaders in Dunedin on the weekend was the home side's defence. One of the guys who made a massive impact, albeit from the wing, was new signing Hosea Gear.
After having spent eight seasons with the Hurricanes, the former All Black wing made the move down south to join Jamie Joseph, a hard-nosed coach who ruffled his feathers a while back.
Gear has said that back then, when Joseph first joined the Hurricanes as an assistant coach, he disliked his approach, but eventually his game flourished. When the opportunity to join the Highlanders came, he jumped at it, moving his young family and accepting the new challenge.
"I'm quite familiar with the environment that Jamie wanted to create and had going on down here. That is a massive part of the Highlanders brand, trying to get everyone involved and making sure the partners are happy as well as the kids," Gear said recently.
He hasn't always been a favourite with New Zealand selectors, so that's something he feels he can still improve on, and he hopes to add to his eight All Black tests.
"I'm still looking to grow as a player. I still believe I can get even better. That is something I am searching for and striving for. If I could try and get my hands on the ball and get into that line a little bit more. Just try and create a little bit more space for those around me," he said.
Gear scored a vital try for the Highlanders with ten minutes left in this match, and earlier in the game he introduced himself to Tom Marshall with a huge crashtackle. It wasn't his first of the game, and it's safe to assume that it won't be his last of the season either.
You can view more of Gear at his best in the related posts below