Mumm set for toughest test yet

By Mark Stevens
12/6/17

Former Exeter Chiefs skipper Dean Mumm has tackled some pretty tough opponents during his distinguished rugby career, but even he admits his next isn't in the "realms of reality".

The 33-year-old Australian, who will bring the curtain down on his playing career at the end of the current Super Rugby season, is to walk to the North Pole next year.

The NSW Waratahs second-row forward will make the trek, which he expects to last nine days, to raise funds and awareness for Borne, a premature birth research charity.

It's a cause close to Mumm and his wife Sarah, who previously lost two children during pregnancy.

"It's not in the realm of reality is it really, thinking to do this," said Mumm. "I certainly wouldn't have done it, but the cause mean so much to me and my family."

It's another interesting twist in the life of Mumm, who reflected on a "pretty fun career."

He has played 57 Tests and 124 times for NSW, 112 of them in Super Rugby, as well as over 70 times for the Chiefs.

Mumm made his debut for NSW in 2004 and is their most-capped second-rower. He never thought he'd play for either the Wallabies or Waratahs again after joining the Chiefs in 2012.

In Devon, though, Mumm rediscovered his zest for the game and helped to play an integral part in the recent rise of the Chiefs. Not only was he an outstanding performer on the pitch, but his leadership qualities were there for all to see, helping Exeter lift their first piece of major silverware in 2014 when they beat Northampton Saints to win the LV= Cup.

Although disappointed to lose Mumm, the Chiefs watched on from afar as not only did he continue his career back in Sydney with the Waratahs, but he also re-ignited his international career, featuring in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

"At that stage I hadn't played for the Wallabies for about 18 months and so to do it again and to be able to pull on that jumper another 24 times has been pretty special," added Mumm.

With retirement set to follow for Mumm, the man himself says he is happy to leave the game on his own terms.

"I've had a great career in rugby and it's given me so much but now I see it as an opportunity to give back, as well as spend some quality time with my familyntion to retire some time ago and he was happy to leave on his own terms.

"Obviously when you get to the oldest in the team and get to the back of the bus there's probably only one way out I think and that's retirement."

To find out more about the Borne Charity, click here