Growing up in a rugby household, Gavin first starting playing in 4th grade with the Austin Huns youth program. Throughout middle school he played 7s rugby as a fly-half before progressing on to 10s and 15s in 8th grade, winning the Player of the Year award in a team that contained several future Rock players.

He moved to the Rock Rugby program when he entered High School, playing scrum-half and fly-half for the JV team his freshman year (“I was terrible” he says, “but I learned a lot”). He worked hard on his rugby skills and in the gym during the off-season, and made his varsity debut as a sophomore, starting every game as a hard hitting outside center (“I was bigger, much more confident in my skillset and able to read the field better”). That year he also tried out for the Austin Outlaws MLR academy U19 side, making the squad for the June series and starting all 3 games in the center. He played for the Rock Academy U16 7s team that took 2nd place at Bloodfest (also played for the U18 team) and played U16s at the NAI7s in Utah.

Gavin was appointed Rock vice-captain in his junior season. He moved back to fly half, running the backline and serving as the team’s playmaker, while continuing to train with the AG Outlaws and playing 7s rugby with Rock academy. He played in the elite U18s division at Tropical 7s.

Gavin was named Rock Rugby captain for his senior High School season and helped drive the team into the State playoffs. He was selected to captain the Central Texas All-Conference team.

He has committed to play college rugby at Lindenwood University next season.

Gavin’s strengths are aggressive tackling, ball distribution, angles of running and support. He is working on improving his kicking game.

When not playing rugby, he runs cross country and enjoys working out in the gym and playing video games with his Rock teammates (as well as several alumni and players from rival teams).

He names his favorite rugby player as Finn Russell (Scotland and British Lions fly-half), best rugby memory putting a big hit on a rampaging Houston Number 8 and his favorite coaches as Ryan Little (of the Austin Blacks) and Mark Gerrard (of the Austin Gilgronis).

Fun fact – he was named after former Scottish rugby International Gavin Hastings.