Peter John Hynes

A winger / fullback of surprising pace and tenacious defence, Peter Hynes served a lengthy apprenticeship before he finally attained Wallaby recognition.

Brisbane-born and raised, Hynes attended Brisbane State High School from where he won selection for Australian Schools in 2000. He went on to represent Australia in the IRB Sevens World Series, at U21s level to two World Championships and at the Commonwealth Games.

In 2003, Hynes made his Super Rugby debut for the Queensland Reds against the Hurricanes however it was five long seasons before he made the step up to international rugby. In 2008 it was new Wallaby coach Robbie Deans who finally selected Hynes for a Test debut, against Ireland in Melbourne. Hynes won 22 Test caps through to the end of the 2009 Spring Tour however the emergence of a serious knee injury in 2010 proved to be a death knell for further national honours.

In 2011, Hynes was forced to miss all but the opening two matches of the Reds maiden Super Rugby title due to severe bone bruising in his right knee as a result of cartilage degeneration. As a consequence Hynes made a strategic life decision when he chose an innovative surgery as a way to guarantee he wouldn’t suffer severe pain or limitations in his knee later in life. In one seven hour surgical session he underwent a posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction; a high tibia Osteotomy, whereby his leg was broken and realigned; and a donor meniscus transfer.

Highlights

2000

Represented Australian Schools against both Ireland Schools and New Zealand Schools

2001/02

Represented Australia in the IRB Sevens World Series.

2002

Selected in the Australian squad for the inaugural IRB U21s Junior World Championship tournament in South Africa. Hynes was picked in the Men’s Sevens side to compete at the Manchester Commonwealth Games.

2003

Selected in the Australian squad for the second-annual IRB U21 Rugby World Championships in England.

2008

Hynes won his first Test cap when chosen on the right wing in the 18-12 win over Ireland in Melbourne. He scored his first Test try in the 40-10, 2nd Test victory against France in Brisbane. Hynes was capped a total of 13 times that season, all in the run-on XV, and only missed the win over Italy in Padova.

2009

Hynes earned his final nine Test caps in 2009 amid strong competition for a starting role from both Lachlan Turner and Drew Mitchell.