Ben Gunter’s remarkable journey from Brisbane groundskeeper to Japan star

Ben Gunter was two grades above me at Brisbane Boys’ College. In my five years at the school, no First XV debut seemed to generate more anticipation than when Gunter first took the field as a 15-year-old, starring alongside future Wallaby Isaac Henry that season.

It genuinely was the talk of Toowong that week, as a school of rugby-mad kids waited to see how a Year 10 prospect would fare against the best of the GPS. Gunter took the field draped in green, white and black, and quickly became an integral part of that side.

Gunter achieved rugby superstar status in the eyes of other students sporting the school’s iconic boaters, who practically counted down the hours until 2:00 pm each Saturday. The First XV claimed a second-place finish, their equal best-ever result in more than 50 years.

But after graduating in 2015, Gunter spent some time in the Queensland Reds Academy before returning to BBC as a groundskeeper. Instead, a four-year opportunity with Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights changed everything, as the backrower embarked on a life-changing journey.

Gunnedah-raised Gunter is back Down Under this week, set to start at blindside flanker for Japan against the Wallabies in Townsville. The loose forward will face former BBC teammate Henry in a homecoming which doesn’t necessarily feel like one.

“It’s a weird feeling. It’s like coming home but not coming home, it’s like coming home in a different way… it’s good to come back, I always miss Australia being away for so long. Also coming back, being able to wear this [Japan] jersey and with this team, it makes me realise that it was my home, it’s not my home no more,” Gunter told RugbyPass and Kyodo News.

“I never in my wildest dreams ever thought I’d be coming back to play in Australia against Australia. It’s the last thing I ever thought would have happened.”

Gunter fought through some injuries at BBC before graduating with no real professional options to pursue in rugby. The graduate was going to join the army in an effort not to return to farm life, before an opportunity to head abroad came about.

The BBC First XV had gone overseas to play in the Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament in 2015, with Henry and future Wallaby Len Ikitau part of that squad. Gunter thought, “Oh, this is pretty cool. This is my first and my last time to Japan, this is unreal.”

But a two-week trial with Japan Rugby League One side the Wild Knights over Christmas opened the door, but it seemed closed for quite some time. Six months passed, and Gunter had been working back at BBC as a groundskeeper and lived in his friend’s garage.

“Then got a phone call saying, you’ve got a four-year deal in Japan,” Gunter reflected.

“I went over and haven’t looked back since. Just stayed there now and it’s been 10 years already. It’s crazy.

“I was living in my friend’s garage… because he lived in the city, so I could still train and stuff like that. And just to start off, I got a job back at the school, just as a groundskeeper just to start to get by, and then I got a labouring job.

“That’s what I did for six months; I’d just train every day and then I do labouring and then on the weekend I’d just watch rugby and just waited basically.”

Gunter wasn’t picked up by Australian clubs but got an opportunity to play Super Rugby for the Sunwolves. Almost fittingly, the backrower debuted for the Japanese side against the Queensland Reds on March 16, 2019.

An opportunity with the national team followed, debuting for the Brave Blossoms against the Wallabies on October 23, 2021. Gunter helped the Wild Knights win the Japan Rugby League One title seven months later, before suiting up in more Tests.

Japan coach Eddie Jones has named Gunter in the starting side to face the Wallabies on August 15. The Brave Blossoms have never tasted victory against the Wallabies, but there’s a sense of anticipation about the match – just as there was for Gunter’s BBC First XV debut.

“The amount of pride and honour we can bring back to Japan with [a win over the Wallabies] leading into a World Cup, it’d be a massive thing for Japan,” he said.

“Wallabies are a strong team but when Japan and the Wallabies play, it’s not an easy game no more… we’re not here just to try to get better. We’re here to play to win. We’re not growing our game no more, we’re showing our game.”