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{{Short description|New Zealand rugby union player and coach}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2016}}{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name              = Mark Hammett
| image             =
| caption           = 
| birth_name        = Mark Garry Hammett
| birth_place       = [[Christchurch]], New Zealand
| height            = {{convert|1.85|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}
| weight            = {{convert|107|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
| ru_position       = [[Hooker (rugby union)|Hooker]]
| amatyears1        = 
| amatteam1         = Marist Albion
| ru_amupdate       = 
| repteam1          = [[New Zealand national rugby union team|New Zealand]]
| repyears1         = 1999–03
| repcaps1          = 29
| reppoints1        = 15
| ru_ntupdate       = 
| super1            = [[Crusaders (rugby union)|Crusaders]]
| superapps1        = 81
| superpoints1      = 35
| superyears1       = 1996–03
| super14update     = 
| province1         = [[Canterbury rugby union team|Canterbury]]
| provinceyears1    = 1992–03
| provinceapps1     = 76
| provincepoints1   = 45
| ru_provinceupdate = 
| coachteams1       = [[Crusaders (rugby union)|Crusaders]] ''(Forwards coach)''
| coachteams2       = [[Canterbury rugby union team|Canterbury]] ''(Forwards coach)''
| coachteams3       = [[Crusaders (rugby union)|Crusaders]] ''(Asst. Coach)''
| coachteams4       = [[Hurricanes (rugby union)|Hurricanes]]
| coachteams5       = [[Cardiff Blues]] ''(Director of Rugby)''
| coachteams6       = [[Sunwolves]]
| coachteams7       = [[Japan national rugby union team|Japan]] ''(Caretaker)''
| coachteams8       = [[Tasman Rugby Union|Tasman Makos]] ''(Asst. Coach)''
| coachteams9       = [[Highlanders (rugby union)|Highlanders]] ''(Asst. Coach)''
| coachyears1       = 2006
| coachyears2       = 2006
| coachyears3       = 2007–10
| coachyears4       = 2011–14
| coachyears5       = 2014–15
| coachyears6       = 2016
| coachyears7       = 2016
| coachyears8       = 2016–
| coachyears9       = 2017–
| ru_coachupdate    = 17 July 2016
| occupation        = 
| spouse            = Tash
| children          = 2
| relatives         = 
| school            = [[St Thomas of Canterbury College]]
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1972|07|13|df=yes}} 
}}
'''Mark Garry 'Hammer' Hammett''' (born 13 July 1972) is a New Zealand [[rugby union]] [[coach (sport)|coach]] and former player. Having represented [[Canterbury Rugby Football Union|Canterbury]] provincially 76 times, and the [[Crusaders (rugby union)|Crusaders]] 81 times and the [[All Blacks]] 30 times – including 29 [[Test match (rugby union)|Test]] matches, Hammett later went on to coach both Canterbury and Crusaders as a forwards/assistant coach. He is currently on the assistant coach of the {{Rut|Highlanders}} in [[Super Rugby]] and the [[Tasman Rugby Union|Tasman Makos]] in the [[Mitre 10 Cup]].

==Playing career==

===Early career: 1989–97===
Hammett first represented New Zealand, while he was a pupil at [[St Thomas of Canterbury College]], when selected for the New Zealand Under 17 team in 1989.<ref name="ABProfile">{{All Blacks|353|Mark Hammett}}</ref> He then captained the Under 19 team in 1991, before making his first appearance for Canterbury in 1992. Although his one game for Canterbury in 1992 was as a replacement, he played seven games the following season.<ref name="ABProfile"/> As hooker, he played mainly as backup to [[Matt Sexton]] in 1993; however, by 1994 they were sharing the role. By 1995, Hammett played more games than Sexton.<ref name="ABProfile"/>

Rugby turned professional in late 1995, and in 1996 the [[Canterbury Crusaders]] (now called the ''Crusaders'') franchise was established. Hammett became a founding member of the side, which struggled in the inaugural Super 12, finishing in last place.<ref name="CrusadersProfile">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crfu.co.nz/main/index.cfm/1,393,1560,html/Mark-Hammett-Assistant-Coach |title=Mark Hammett – Assistant Coach |publisher=crfu.co.nz |access-date=26 January 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927194603/http://www.crfu.co.nz/main/index.cfm/1%2C393%2C1560%2Chtml/Mark-Hammett-Assistant-Coach |archive-date=27 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Lassen1996">{{Cite web| url=http://www.lassen.co.nz/s14tab.php#hrh |title=Super 14 Tables |publisher=lassen.co.nz |access-date=26 January 2007}}</ref> The [[1997 Super 12 season|1997 season]] went better for Hammett; the Crusaders finished sixth, and the Canterbury provincial team won the [[National Provincial Championship (1976–2005)|National Provincial Championship]] (NPC) after beating [[Counties Manukau Rugby Union|Counties]] in the final.<ref name="Lassen1996"/> Although Hammett was receiving more and more game time, he still only participated in the NPC final as a replacement.<ref name="ABProfile"/>

===Super 12 success: 1998–2001===
Hammett started regularly for both Canterbury, and the Crusaders in 1998, with the latter he won his first Super 12 title. The [[1998 Super 12 season|1998 Super 12 final]] was played against the [[Blues (Super rugby franchise)|Blues]] at [[Eden Park]]; Hammett said of the match "If we'd been polled in that week, and had to give an honest answer, most of the boys, deep down, would probably have thought that the Blues would beat us."<ref name="McIlraith84">McIlraith (2005), p. 84.</ref> Despite this, the Crusaders defeated the reigning champions 20–13.<ref name="McIlraith85">McIlraith (2005), p. 85.</ref> Hammett was rewarded with a New Zealand trial, where he captained his team.<ref name="ABProfile"/> He was subsequently selected for New Zealand A and played against [[Tonga national rugby union team|Tonga]].<ref name="ABProfile"/>

The Crusaders achieved more success in [[1999 Super 12 season|1999]] as they finished the [[round-robin tournament|round-robin]] in fourth place, then won their semi-final, and final (both away from home) to take another championship.<ref name="McIlraith260">McIlraith (2005), p. 260.</ref> Hammett's achievements with the Crusaders were rewarded by being called into the All Blacks in 1999, at the age of 26. His first game was against New Zealand 'A', on 11 June in Christchurch, quickly followed by his first Test against [[France national rugby union team|France]] on 26 June.<ref name="ABProfile"/> Hammett eventually played in the [[1999 Tri Nations Series]], and was selected for the [[1999 Rugby World Cup]].

After winning a third title with the Crusaders in [[2000 Super 12 season|2000]], he was again selected for the All Blacks; getting a start against Tonga, and in that years [[2000 Tri Nations Series|Tri-Nations]]. After returning from All Blacks duty, he played for Canterbury and contributed to a [[Ranfurly Shield]] win over [[Waikato Rugby Union|Waitako]].<ref name="Gifford181">Gifford (2004), p. 181.</ref> Canterbury then reached the NPC final, giving Hammett the opportunity to be part of a Super 12, Ranfurly Shield, and NPC winning team, all in the same year.<ref name="Gifford181">Gifford (2004), p. 181.</ref> [[Wellington Rugby Football Union|Wellington]] won the NPC final however, and the opportunity was lost.<ref name="Gifford182">Gifford (2004), p. 182.</ref> Hammett was then selected for the [[2000 end-of-year rugby union internationals|end-of-year All Blacks tour]], and played against France and [[Italy national rugby union team|Italy]] (both as a substitute).<ref name="ABProfile"/>

Hammett's 2001 Super 12 season was marred by a shoulder injury, and the Crusaders eventually finished tenth.<ref name="Gifford182"/><ref name="ShoulderInjury">{{Cite news| title=Hammer Hits the Right Note |publisher=The Press (Christchurch) |date=2 May 2001 |last=Smith |first=Tony |page=60}}</ref><ref name="NoTour">{{Cite news| title=Call to Rest Top Players for Tour |publisher=The Press (Christchurch) |date=30 October 2001 |last=Smith |first=Tony |page=28}}</ref> Due to injury, Hammett only played one game for the All Blacks, as a substitute against [[Argentina national rugby union team|Argentina]] in June.<ref name="ABProfile"/> He missed the entire NPC campaign due to injury: an ankle problem which required surgery and causes him to also miss the 2001 end-of-year All Black tour.<ref name="NoTour"/><ref name="AnkleSurgery">{{Cite news| title=Hammett's Future Brightens |publisher=The Press (Christchurch) |date=11 September 2001 |page=34}}</ref>

===Final seasons: 2002–03===
After the 2001 NPC, Crusaders' captain [[Todd Blackadder]] left New Zealand to play rugby in Scotland. During the 2002 Super 12 pre-season, [[Scrum-half (rugby union)|half-back]] [[Justin Marshall]] questioned which of the senior players were going to step into Blackadder's leadership role for the tough matches.<ref name="McIlraith147">McIlraith (2005), p. 147.</ref> Hammett took the comment "as a slap in the face", as "one player doesn't make a team."<ref name="McIlraith147"/> Hammett later said "I took it that way, and I think a lot of the others must have as well, because we all ended up stepping up!"<ref name="McIlraith147"/> Subsequently, the Crusaders went through the season unbeaten, including a 96–19 victory over the [[New South Wales Waratahs]].<ref name="Gifford189">Gifford (2004), p. 189.</ref> He again played for the All Blacks in 2002, starting against [[Australia national rugby union team|Australia]] and [[South Africa national rugby union team|South Africa]] in the Tri-Nations.<ref name="ABProfile"/> The 2002 NPC season was Hammett's last, and although Canterbury were knocked out in their semi-final, they managed to retain the Ranfurly Shield.<ref name="CrusadersProfile"/><ref name="Gifford190">Gifford (2004), p. 190.</ref> Hammett's last match was his 76th for Canterbury.<ref name="CrusadersProfile"/>

The [[2003 Super 12 season]] was Hammett's last.<ref name="ABProfile"/> The team ended the round-robin second on the table, and eventually travelled to [[Eden Park]] to face the Blues in the final.<ref name="McIlraith294">McIlraith (2005), p. 294.</ref> Although the Crusaders lost the final, Hammett scored two [[Try (rugby)|tries]], becoming one of only three players to score two tries in a Super 12 final.<ref name="McIlraith186">McIlraith (2005), p. 186.</ref> Despite the two tries, Hammett calls the match the biggest disappointment of his career.<ref name="McIlraith186"/> Hammett was again chosen for the All Blacks, and eventually played in the [[2003 Rugby World Cup]].<ref name="ABProfile"/> The All Blacks call-up made Hammett reconsider his retirement plans.<ref name="PlayOn">{{Cite news| title=Hammett Ponders Playing On |publisher=The Press (Christchurch) |date=23 July 2003 |page=D16 |last=Smith |first=Tony}}</ref> He planned to continue playing after 2003, however a [[neck]] injury during the 2004 pre-season ended his playing career.<ref name="NowCoach">{{Cite news|title=It's Like This Coach |publisher=The Press (Christchurch) |date=3 February 2006 |last=Knowler |first=Richard |page=D16}}</ref>

===Honours===
{{col-float}}
'''[[New Zealand national rugby union team|New Zealand]]'''
*'''[[Rugby World Cup]] / [[Webb Ellis Cup]]'''
**Third: [[2003 Rugby World Cup|2003]]
**Fourth: [[1999 Rugby World Cup|1999]]
*'''[[Tri Nations (rugby union)|Tri Nations]]'''
**Winners: [[1999 Tri Nations Series|1999]], [[2002 Tri Nations Series|2002]], [[2003 Tri Nations Series|2003]]
**Runners-up: [[2000 Tri Nations Series|2000]], [[2001 Tri Nations Series|2001]]
*'''[[Bledisloe Cup]]'''
**Winners: 2003
*'''[[Dave Gallaher Trophy]]'''
**Winners: 2000

{{col-float-break}}
'''[[Crusaders (rugby union)|Crusaders]]'''
*'''[[Super 12]]'''
**Winners: [[1998 Super 12 season|1998]], [[1999 Super 12 season|1999]], [[2000 Super 12 season|2000]], [[2002 Super 12 season|2002]]
**Runners-up: [[2003 Super 12 season|2003]]
'''[[Canterbury rugby union team|Canterbury]]'''
*'''[[National Provincial Championship (1976–2005)|National Provincial Championship]]'''
**Winners: 1997, 2001
**Runners-up: 2000
{{col-float-end}}

==Coaching career==

===In New Zealand: 2006–2014===
Two years after his playing career ended with the Crusaders, Hammett was back with the Crusaders, working as a forwards coaching adviser for the [[2006 Super 14 season]].<ref name="CrusadersProfile"/><ref name="NowCoach"/> He went on to fulfill the same role for Canterbury in the [[2006 Air New Zealand Cup]]. He was later appointed as the new Crusaders assistant coach in November 2006 as a replacement for [[Vern Cotter]] who departed to France.<ref name="Assistant">{{Cite news| url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/834448 |title=Super 14 assistants named |date=22 September 2006 |access-date=26 January 2007 |publisher=tvnz.co.nz}}</ref> Hammett remained as assistant coach from 2007 to 2010, and was not appointed as Crusaders' head coach when [[Robbie Deans]] left to coach Australia in 2008; Todd Blackadder was given the head coach role instead.<ref name="CrusadersProfile"/> During his time at the Crusaders, he helped guide the team to the semi-finals of every single season he was at the franchise, before securing their sixth and seventh title in [[2006 Super 14 season|2006]] and [[2008 Super 14 season|2008]]. In later 2010, he was appointed coach of the [[Wellington]]-based [[Hurricanes (Super rugby franchise)|Hurricanes]] ahead of the [[2011 Super Rugby season]].<ref name="Stuff.co.nz_4670439">{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/4670439/Hurricanes-won-t-change-under-Hammett |title=Hurricanes won't change under Hammett |author=Hinton, Marc |date=17 February 2011 |work=[[Stuff.co.nz]] |access-date=20 October 2011}}</ref> After the 2011 Super Rugby season – his first season in charge – Hammett decided controversially not to renew the contracts of All Blacks [[Ma'a Nonu]] and then Hurricanes' captain [[Andrew Hore]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/5164215/Hammett-admits-mistakes|newspaper=Dominion Post|title=Hammett admits mistakes}}</ref> In the three years at the helm in Wellington, the Hurricanes failed to progress to the knock-out phase of the competition, only getting as high as seventh on the table; in [[2014 Super Rugby season]]. In April 2014 Hammett indicated he would not be seeking to renew his contract when it expired at the end of the 2014 season.<ref name="Hurricanes Search for Fifth Coach">{{cite news|title=Hurricanes Search for Fifth Coach|url=http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/news/feature-hurricanes-search-for-fifth-coach/|access-date=5 May 2014}}</ref>

===Outside New Zealand: 2014–2016===
On 18 May 2014, Hammett was named Director of Rugby for Wales-based team [[Cardiff Blues]], working alongside [[Dale McIntosh]] and [[Paul John (rugby)|Paul John]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/27464952 |title=Mark Hammett named Cardiff Blues director of rugby |work=BBC Sport Online |date=2014-05-18}}</ref> The Mark Hammett era was a slow start, losing both the pre-season friendlies. However, the first round saw Cardiff defeat [[Zebre]] 41–26. Despite only winning one game in his first competitive 6 games, Hammett lead Cardiff to a surprise victory over French side [[FC Grenoble|Grenoble]] and an easy victory over [[Rugby Rovigo Delta|Rovigo Delta]] in the [[2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup]]. These games were backed-up by a narrow loss to Irish giants [[Munster Rugby|Munster]]. On 24 January 2015, Hammett led the Blues to an away victory over Grenoble, to see the side through to the quarter-finals of the 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup. On 20 February 2015, Cardiff were beaten by [[Benetton Rugby|Benetton Treviso]] 40–24 in [[Treviso]], which later turned out to be Hammett's last game in charge of the Welsh side. On 25 February 2015, after six months of a three-year contract, Cardiff Blues agreed to release Hammett at his request for personal reasons, to allow him to return home to New Zealand.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cardiff Blues: Mark Hammett leaves as director of rugby |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/31583516 |work=BBC Sport Online |date=2015-02-25}}</ref>

On 21 December 2015, the [[Japan Rugby Football Union]] announced Hammett as the head coach of the newly formed Japanese Super Rugby franchise, the Sunwolves.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/75339593/former-all-black-mark-hammett-confirmed-as-japanese-sunwolves-coach|newspaper=Stuff.co.nz|title=Former All Black Mark Hammett confirmed as Japanese Sunwolves coach}}</ref> In their debut season, the side finished bottom of the newly expanded table, with 1 win. Ironically, their win came against the other newly formed team, the [[Jaguares (Super Rugby)|Jaguares]], a team made up predominantly of the successful Argentine side from the [[2015 Rugby World Cup]]. On 27 June, it was announced that Hammett would be leaving the Japanese side to return to New Zealand.<ref>[http://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12334/10326176/mark-hammett-to-leave-sunwolves-at-end-of-super-rugby-season Mark Hammett to leave Sunwolves at end of Super Rugby season]</ref> It had previously been announced that Hammett would be joining the [[Tasman Makos]] in 2016 as their new assistant coach for the [[2016 Mitre 10 Cup]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Ex-All Black Mark Hammett signs as Tasman Makos' new assistant coach |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/71390153/exall-black-mark-hammett-signs-as-tasman-makos-new-assistant-coach.html |first=Wayne |last=Martin |date=28 August 2015 |work=[[Stuff.co.nz]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220615135304/http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/71390153/exall-black-mark-hammett-signs-as-tasman-makos-new-assistant-coach.html |archive-date=2022-06-15 |url-status=live}}</ref> While in June 2016, it was announced that Mark Hammett will remain in Super Rugby, but as an assistant coach at the [[Highlanders (rugby union)|Highlanders]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://thehighlanders.co.nz/our-news/latest-news/761-highlanders-announce-tony-brown-to-lead-team-in-2017 |title=Highlanders announce Tony Brown to lead team in 2017 |access-date=17 July 2016 |archive-date=9 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609055707/http://thehighlanders.co.nz/our-news/latest-news/761-highlanders-announce-tony-brown-to-lead-team-in-2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In March 2016, Hammett was named as the caretaker coach for the [[Japan national rugby union team|Japanese national team]], while [[Jamie Joseph]] closes out his contract with the Highlanders.<ref>[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2016/03/10/more-sports/rugby/hammett-nakatake-assigned-interim-coaching-duties-brave-blossoms/#.V4vh9_krLIV Hammett, Nakatake assigned interim coaching duties for Brave Blossoms]</ref> Hammett led the Brave Blossoms to a 26–22 win over [[Canada national rugby union team|Canada]], before losing 2–0 to [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]] during their [[2016 Scotland rugby union tour of Japan|two-test series]].

===2017 onwards===

Hammett was assistant coach for the Highlanders under the Head coach [[Aaron Mauger]].

===Coaching Honours===
'''[[Crusaders (rugby union)|Crusaders]] ''(as assistant coach)'''''
*'''[[Super 14]] / [[Super Rugby]]'''
**Winners: [[2006 Super 14 season|2006]], [[2008 Super 14 season|2008]]
**Runners-up: [[2011 Super Rugby season|2011]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{Cite book| last = Gifford | first = Phil | year = 2004 | title = The Passion – The Stories Behind 125 years of Canterbury Rugby | publisher=Wilson Scott Publishing | isbn=0-9582535-1-X}}
* {{Cite book|last=McIlraith|first= Matt |year=2005 |title=Ten Years of Super 12 |publisher=Hodder Moa |isbn=1-86971-025-8}}

{{S-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{Succession box| title = {{nowrap|[[Japan national rugby union team#Coaches|Japan National Rugby Union Coach]]}}<br />(Caretaker) | years = 2016 | before = {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ryuji Nakatake]]<br />(Caretaker) | after = {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Jamie Joseph]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{All Blacks Squad 1999 World Cup}}
{{New Zealand Squad 2003 Rugby World Cup}}

{{Good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hammett, Mark}}
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People educated at St Thomas of Canterbury College]]
[[Category:New Zealand rugby union players]]
[[Category:New Zealand rugby union coaches]]
[[Category:New Zealand international rugby union players]]
[[Category:Canterbury rugby union players]]
[[Category:Crusaders (rugby union) players]]
[[Category:Japan national rugby team coaches]]
[[Category:Rugby union hookers]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Christchurch]]
[[Category:Sunwolves coaches]]
[[Category:1999 Rugby World Cup players]]
[[Category:2003 Rugby World Cup players]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Wales]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Japan]]
[[Category:Expatriate rugby union coaches]]