Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Du'Plessis Kirifi: 'It’s no surprise' NPC final went to 100 minutes

Du Plessis Kirifi of Wellington celebrates with the NPC trophy. Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images

After 100 minutes of brutal end-to-end rugby,  the Wellington Lions defeated the Bay of Plenty Steamers 23-20 in a blockbuster end to the 2024 NPC season.

ADVERTISEMENT

The final went back and forth before an extra 20 minutes of extra time was needed after the teams couldn’t be separated in 80 minutes.

Lions’ captain Du’Plessis Kirifi has praised his team’s overall effort in an energy-sapping final.

Wasn’t sure if we had it in the bag till about the 100th minute, but just so proud of this group, they worked bloody hard,Kirifi told Sky Sport

Kirifi may be heading north with the All Blacks XV in the coming days, but his form of late isn’t making life any easier for All Blacks selectors.

The captain stood up when it mattered, leading from the front in a monumental effort on both sides of the ball

That’s what we train for, moments like that. It’s no surprise we went to 100 minutes, so I’m just glad I had just enough in the tank to get there.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Kirifi hasn’t been alone on the journey as captain, acknowledging many of his experienced teammates.

“Peter Umaga Jensen, Peter Lakai, Brad Shields and Julian Savea the boys who wore the captain’s armband while I was out for 2 months, they carried this team, and they still do, so to have those guys in the group helping me out, it’s an absolute dream.

Du’Plessis Kirifi paid tribute to first five Jackson Garden Bachop who played his 100th game for Wellington.

Related

“Jackson is an absolute cornerstone of this team, and 100 games is no mean feat, and it’s not something you see often at this level, so for him to get 100 but also another championship, bloody proud of him.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Jackson Garden-Bachop returned to New Zealand from playing overseas earlier this year, after the sudden passing of his younger brother Connor, but the first five couldn’t be happier with his homecoming.

It’s pretty surreal to be honest how the stars have aligned. I wasn’t supposed to be here this season, but I’m so happy that I have been able to come home to my friends and family. Playing for this team this season has been a byproduct of needing to be at home, so man I couldn’t be happier right now.

“The boys deserve this, they work so hard, and to do it in front of our family and friends at home it’s pretty surreal right now.

“I love this city, I love this team, it’s been such a big part of my life for so long now.”

The Lions proved to have the experience to close out the game, led by 38-year-old bench hooker Hika Elliot, who answered an SOS call from Wellington’s head coach Alando Soakai last week ahead of the final. 

“I got a phone call late Sunday night, we were celebrating my daughter’s birthday, obviously we had to go through some New Zealand Rugby stuff, then I was on a flight on Tuesday morning, 5 minutes in the changing room and then straight out onto the training field.”

Although Elliot had been playing for South Canterbury during this year’s Heartland championship, he enjoyed the lifted intensity. 

“Doing it for all the old dogs out there, it doesn’t matter how old you are if you come in prepared and you’re ready, then anything is possible.”

 

Louis Rees-Zammit joins Jim Hamilton for the latest episode of Walk the Talk to discuss his move to the NFL. Watch now on RugbyPass TV

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 2 hours ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Ireland | Autumn Nations Series

Nah, if you see some picture of a way to blame Dmac rather than the whole team who were slacking and just getting beat by an Argentina team that was up for it then you've got unconscious bias I'm afraid.


The coaching staff (and the team as they had done throughout Fosters era) did just not get them in the right frame of mind. They slackened off after two intense English tests and were slow to build back up into test match intensity after the San Diego run around. You can view that Wellington loss as akin to what went on in Chicago in 2016, it was just delayed a couple of weeks in this instance.


Good reminder of what game management is, unfortunately it doesn't cover all the bases and is missing pivotal parts of lethality.


I think you're misunderstanding the argument, this is about Dmac, not the team, and about his idea of game management, not his application. In none of the games this year, including this weekends one, has he done relentless execution of the basics. His conservative game was neither shrewd or accurate.


The difference here is perspective. You see a win and you want to apply credit, just as you saw a lose and want to apply blame. Dmac's game management in both circumstances was very similar, just in this game I felt that pressure to concentrate on it caused him a few more errors in that application for no real gain in that area, and a much more ineffective attack stop the team from making it a very comfortable game.


The other difference is you a way overplaying Irelands performance imo. They were pathetic. Even in the start of the 2nd when they were trying to get points with the card it felt comfortable they weren't going to have what it takes even if they fixed their error rate. That was the first Bled test where Dmac nearly singlehandedly took an unbeatable 50 lead, a great example of good game management that again just didn't come off. Those tests were not 12 tests ago. Twelve tests ago he was running England around like he'd been in the jersey his whole career. We didn't break any record, the streak is a figment of Irelands imagination to desperately show how good they are to the world. You've been caught hook line and sinker in all these topics sadly.

126 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ How can Scott Robertson revive the All Blacks’ playmaking ‘triple threat’? How can Scott Robertson revive the All Blacks’ playmaking ‘triple threat’?
Search