Du'Plessis Kirifi on milestone man Peter Lakai: 'He has made me a better player'

Hurricanes skipper Du’Plessis Kirifi was relaxed during the captain’s run at Hnry Stadium in Wellington ahead of tonight’s Super Rugby Pacific semi-final against the Blues.

The top-qualifying Hurricanes have been in irresistible form in 2026, winning 12 out of 15 games and scoring over 50 points in half of those victories. Twelve of tonight’s starting fifteen players have played 50 or more matches, with Kirifi set to make his 105th appearance. Isaia Walker-Leawere (91), Tyrel Lomax (73), and Brayden Iose (65) will come off the bench. The Hurricanes have won their last nine home matches by an average margin of 28 points.

In contrast, the Blues have struggled recently, dropping their last four consecutive matches and conceding a whopping 194 points. This includes a record 47-24 defeat to the Hurricanes at Eden Park on May 16. The Hurricanes are favoured to win at $1.10 on the TAB, while the Blues are offered at an eye-watering $6.50. What can the struggling Blues do to genuinely surprise the Hurricanes?

“I’m not reading too much into their recent form,” Kirifi told RugbyPass. “They did enough throughout the season to earn a spot in the semi-final. Regardless of past results, it’s about which team shows up on the night. We draw confidence from our form this season, but we expect the Blues to throw the kitchen sink at us. They’ll send their big boys down either side of the ruck and try to create momentum from there.

“We know who we are and how we want to play. It feels good to be this far into the season because we understand what we need to do each week. For us, it’s about sticking to our game plan, resetting, and treating it like any other week. Having a lot of experience makes it easier to regulate our emotions.”

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

2

Draws

0

Wins

3

Average Points scored

33

25

First try wins

80%

Home team wins

60%

Kirifi spoke highly of fellow flanker and Blues Player of the Year, Anton Segner, admitting that he is cautious of the Blues potentially having “some surprises” in store.

The Hurricanes are focused on maintaining consistency as they chase their first title since 2016. Even 23-year-old Peter Lakai is set to play his 50th Super Rugby match. The eight-Test All Black made his debut in a 47-13 win over the Queensland Reds on February 25, 2023, and since 2024, Lakai has played in 42 out of 46 possible games.

“I can’t speak highly enough of him,” Kirifi said. “He’s Wellington-born and bred, a quiet man who goes about his work. His greatest qualities as a teammate and a man are his accuracy and reliability. You know what you’re going to get from him, not just on game day but also during the week. He has made me a better player, and I hope he feels the same about me.”

Replacement midfield back Jone Rova is the Hurricanes’ least experienced player with 14 games, overcoming more experienced options Ngane Punivai and Bailyn Sullivan, who can also play in the midfield. Kirifi has confidence in the former New Zealand Under-20 representative.

“He’s a quality player who does the simple things well. He’s a big body capable of getting us over the gain line. He has done the unseen things that get seen by others, which puts him in this position.”

Du’Plessis’s father, Jack Kirifi, was in an honoured position on May 23 when he received his blazer for making 100 appearances for the renowned Auckland rugby club, Ponsonby. It was initially believed that he had played only 98 matches, but Jack was sure he had more and could prove he made 115 appearances with scrapbook collections.

A tough flanker, now based in New Plymouth, Jack helped Ponsonby win the Gallaher Shield in 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, and 1990. The 1986 Ponsonby team won all 20 matches, and from 1980 to 1989, Ponsonby produced seven All Blacks, 24 players for Auckland A, and another 24 for Auckland B. His blazer was presented by Joe Stanley, a centre for the 1987 Rugby World Cup-winning All Blacks and Ponsonby President.

“Maualaivao Polaiu’amea Jack Kirifi is a proud Ponsonby man,” Kirifi enthused. “He was born in Samoa and lived in Kingsland, Auckland. It was great for Dad to revisit and reminisce about the glory days. I love hearing stories about All Blacks playing club rugby. What an incredible opportunity for guys to work Monday to Friday and then play internationals on the weekend. Times have changed, but the connections to grassroots rugby remain really important.”