Society Insider: All Black Anton Segner and Hunter Kawana’s inspiring love story
Man about town Ricardo Simich brings you Society Insider. This week, we find out more about new All Black Anton Segner and his model and Māori mental health advocate partner.
The German All Black and his inspiring Kiwi model girlfriend
The rise of newly minted German All Black Anton Segner has captured the imagination of fans in New Zealand and Germany over the past few weeks.
His girlfriend, model, content creator and Māori mental health advocate Hunter Kawana, couldn’t be prouder.
While Segner, 25, moved to New Zealand at 15 to pursue his rugby dreams, attending Nelson Boys High School, Kawana, 27, has built a successful career in modelling and content creation.
Kawana tells Society Insider that as much as she is proud of Segner, he is just as proud of her.
Kawana cheered Segner on throughout the Blues season and says the past couple of weeks have been magical, with his parents Tim and Eva, and his brothers Fritz and Emil, travelling from Frankfurt to watch Segner make his debut as an All Black at Sky Stadium in Wellington. They were also there for his second test at Eden Park on the weekend.
A few months prior, Kawana had secretly organised for Segner’s older brother Fritz to visit New Zealand, so he could surprise him and see him play his 50th game for the Blues.
“Anton is like the male version of me,” Kawana says. “We truly have the same souls; I have never met a man like him.”
Kawana says Segner is understanding, empathetic, kind and a beautiful human in general.
“I feel so lucky to call him my partner, and he feels the same, which we tell each other all the time.”
The pair met at Auckland private members’ bar Shy Guy last September.
“I wasn’t feeling like going out, but the girls convinced me. We ended up there and there he was. We chatted all night, and we have been inseparable ever since.”
Segner’s arrival at the All Black camp last month put a temporary end to the couple being constantly at each other’s side.
They enjoyed a summer holiday, followed by Segner visiting New Plymouth to meet Kawana’s family. In March, Segner and Kawana had a romantic trip to the Gold Coast.
The day before Saturday night’s test, Kawana packed up her smart Hobsonville townhouse and moved into Segner’s city apartment.
Segner achieving his rugby goals at the highest level complements Kawana’s goals, and the inspirational career she has embarked on.
Kawana is an in-demand model at 62 Management and a star influencer represented by J&L Creators, building a following of more than 40,000 Instagram and TikTok followers, sharing both the glamorous side of her life and her personal experiences of depression.
Kawana grew up in New Plymouth and was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when she was younger.
In addition to sharing her experiences online, she has also spoken at mental health events across NZ.
“I want to help others by sharing my experiences; if there had been someone like me around back then, when I was struggling, it would have really helped me get through some of the hardest times in my life.”
Her work highlights have seen Kawana travel overseas for brand trips with the likes of Revlon and Sony.
“I started content creation straight out of high school when I was studying to be a makeup artist,” Kawana says.
“Consistency over the years is what built it into what it is now - genuinely my dream job.
“I have worked with incredible brands such as Dyson, Adidas, YSL Beauty, and combined modelling with content creation for a campaign with Glassons.”
She has been a welcome addition to the Blues - and now All Blacks - partners and girlfriends, while Segner also fits in nicely with Kawana’s friends, including content creators Cassandra Grodd and Olivia Moana, who sent black roses to the couple when Segner made the All Blacks.
Ricardo Simich has been with the Herald since 2008 where he contributed to The Business Insider. In 2012 he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.