Ben Hunt to miss a World Cup match to attend his wedding

BEN Hunt will put the love of his life before his Kangaroos jersey after Mal Meninga granted him permission to skip a World Cup match to get married.

BEN Hunt will put the love of his life before his devotion to the Kangaroos jersey after Australian coach Mal Meninga granted the utility permission to skip a World Cup match to get married.

A World Cup spot seemed so out of reach for Hunt who was dumped to Queensland Cup earlier this year that he booked his own wedding in the middle of the tournament. His surprise call-up left him with a quandary, to forfeit his Kangaroos jersey or continue with plans to marry fiancee Bridget Hagan.

The wedding clashed with Australia’s pool game against France on Friday November 3.

“I got the call first and let it sink in and then holy hell I had to run it past the coach,” Hunt said. “We went down for medicals on Thursday and I went and asked him. He was very understanding and was like ‘do you really want to get married’. I was like ‘ I would like to’. And said ‘OK I’ll let you go and get married then’. He was really good.

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Ben Hunt, son Brady 9 months and partner Bridget Hagen. Pic Annette Dew

“(Hagan) was a bit nervous. There was a lot of planning and it all booked. I couldn’t pull it. It was a very nervous time for a bit but it was all good … the honeymoon has got kicked back a bit.”

Meninga has granted Hunt permission to leave the Kangaroos camp on the Wednesday before the wedding as long as he is back in camp on the Sunday. Kangaroos teammates Josh McGuire, who is missing his own brother’s wedding this weekend to play in Fiji, and Matt Gillett are among the invitees who won’t be attending.

Hunt had to break the news to Meninga just hours after the coach was told that Andrew Fifita would forfeit his place in the Australian team to play for Tonga.

But Hunt said Meninga was expecting to speak to Hunt after being given the heads up by Kangaroos coaching staff member Michael Hagan — who is Bridget’s uncle — and was also invited to the wedding.

“I didn’t see it coming through the year,” Hunt said of his selection.

Ben Hunt will miss a World Cup match to attend his wedding.

Hunt was banished to park football in June. But he recovered to make his Origin debut before being recalled to the Australian side for the first time since his only three Tests in 2014.

It was an injury to Brisbane hooker Andrew McCullough which prompted his switch to hooker and eventually his Test recall.

“It’s a strange thing to say but if Andrew didn’t get injured I don’t think I would be here,” Hunt said. “It was one of the strangest years I’ve had at the Broncos. Throughout my career I’ve been pretty lucky with injuries. This year I tore my hamstring pretty bad and missed six weeks. I fractured my wrist, I went back to Queensland Cup, played Origin and now this.

“It’s been a whirlwind year. It’s one I wanted to enjoy, knowing I wasn’t going to be there at the end of this year.”

Hunt confirmed he will return to wearing the No. 7 jersey when he joins St George Illawarra next year.

“They’ve got an excellent hooker down there,” Hunt said. “They’ve signed me to play in the halves and that’s where I’ll be.”