SaberCats’ Morgan Mitchell living his dream after ‘life changing’ procedure

By Aaron Wilson

HOUSTON — Crowded scrums. Piles of bodies. The green grass and open field that beckons of opportunity in front of a charging end run. Morgan Mitchell thrives in this rugby environment as an accomplished prop with significant international experience.

The talented New Zealand native has never let anything stop him from playing the game he loves. Not being born deaf. And definitely not the rugged opponents of the stout 5-foot-7, 250-pound prop. The 29-year-old Houston SaberCats newcomer had a cochlear implant inserted surgically six years ago to help him hear sounds when he had completely lost all of his hearing ability.

“I was born deaf, I used to wear hearing aids, and, when I lost all of my hearing, I had the opportunity to get cochlear implants,” Mitchell said. “It’s been life-changing. It’s made a huge impact on my life, hearing a lot of new sounds. It makes a huge difference.”

After playing most of his career without a hearing aid and leaning on his ability to read lips, Mitchell wanted to be able to hear his teammates on the field. By the close of the 2016 season with his hearing completely gone, Mitchell was back to reading lips exclusively and made the decision to have the surgery. That involved a doctor drilling a cord through his skull and connecting it to his brain to stimulate the auditory nerves.

When Mitchell initially underwent the surgery, he was highly concerned that it would prevent him from continuing his rugby career. It didn’t stop him, though, as he played for the Southland Stags in New Zealand’s top rugby league and became the first deaf player to play in the Mitre 10. Mitchell called this time of uncertainty a “dark place,” before his doctor placed the implant so deep within his skull that it wouldn’t break while playing a tough contact sport.

“I can’t really explain it when you are deaf and you can’t hear anything,” Mitchell said. “It was really tough for me.” One of the first sounds he discovered that he had never heard before: chirping birds. The determination Mitchell has displayed has been inspiring, and Mitchell shares his life experiences with the hope it would show other players in his situation that it is possible to do so.

A former Toronto Arrows standout who has also played for the Kaimishi Seawaves in Japan and with the Southland, Mitchell replaces Juan Pablo Zeiss, an all-star from Argentina traded to the Dallas Jackals. The Gore High School graduate, known as ‘Morgy,’ back in New Zealand, plays the game with a blue-collar, infectious personality.

“My core is the scrum and what I love doing,” Mitchell said. “Carrying the ball and tackling are what I love and what I’m passionate about. You’ve got to have a lot of heart.”

Born in a small farming town in New Zealand, Mitchell began playing rugby when he was 5 years old. His grandfather used to pay him extra money for tries. “I’ve been a rugby player ever since,” Mitchell said. Mitchell’s mother has her own coffee shop in his hometown. His parents are hard-working folks.

“Yes, they get up early and work hard every day,” he said. Mitchell was recruited by director Heyneke Meyer as one of three props from New Zealand to sign with the SaberCats along with Rob Cobb and Fataongia Paea. “It was time for a change, and here I am,” Mitchell said. “I’m pretty grateful to be here. I love America, probably one of the greatest places in the world. I love everything about it. Everything is bigger here. America is cool. I just brought my wife over, and she’s loving it so far.”

The SaberCats went 9-7 last season and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. “I like what I’m seeing at the moment,” Mitchell said. “It’s a good situation.”

*Photographs by Nick Romero