Ben Funnell

Benjamin Camden John Funnell (born 6 June 1990) is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a hooker for Canterbury in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Crusaders in the international Super Rugby competition.

Born in Palmerston North in New Zealand's Manawatu-Wanganui region, Funnell grew up on a dairy farm in the small town of Opiki, 15 km to the south-west of his birthplace. He is a cousin of the Whitelock brothers; George, Adam, Sam and Luke who all went on to play for Canterbury and the Crusaders and attended the same primary school as the boys before attending Palmerston North Boys' High School, where he captained their rugby first XV, while the Whitelocks attended the rival Feilding High School.

While in school, Funnell represented Manawatu at under-18 level before heading south to Christchurch after graduation to study accounting at university. He joined the High School Old Boys side which compete in the local Canterbury club rugby competition and also made his way through the Canterbury youth structures, turning out for both their Academy and Colts sides as well as the Crusaders Knights development team.

• Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Funnell