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The four stand out performers from the NPC quarter-finals
By Adam Julian
Both NPC semi-finals will be in the South Island after Canterbury and Otago withstood brave challenges from Waikato and Counties Manukau respectively.
Hawke’s Bay ended the season of Taranaki in Napier, and Bay of Plenty consigned Tasman to their fifth defeat in the last six games.
Meanwhile, in the Heartland championship, defending Meads Cup champions Thames Valley were in groundbreaking form.
Who were the individual standouts from the NPC quarter-finals?
Sam Gilbert (Otago)
Otago pipped Waikato 44-41 in Dunedin in an all-time classic that featured a dozen tries and a handful of lead changes. First five-eighths Cam Miller successfully kicked a penalty goal from 45 meters out and just 10 meters in from the sideline with the last act of an 85-point blockbuster.
In the 68th minute, Otago fullback and captain Sam Gilbert kicked an outrageous drop goal from a similar distance to extend the hosts’ lead from 38-27 to 41-27. It was the first drop goal of Gilbert’s 39-game Otago career and the first drop goal kicked by any Otago player in the NPC since Scott Eade (now assistant coach of Southland) slotted one in Otago’s 33-32 win against Bay of Plenty in 2016.
It’s indicative of Otago’s growing confidence that Gilbert would even attempt such an audacious shot, let alone succeed. However, the Otago skipper is in rare form, and his vital long-range snap was far from his only highlight reel.
Gilbert helped create the first of two tries for precious halfback Dylan Pledger with a precisely placed left-foot chip kick in the grasp of a tackle and close to the touchline. In the 57th minute, Gilbert scored a try, collecting an awkward pass on the volley to dot down. With incisive injections, Gilbert made two line breaks from 13 carries.
Meanwhile, the aggregate of 85 points broke the record for the highest-scoring game between the Unions. In 2019, Otago defended the Ranfurly Shield 45-35 against Waikato in Dunedin, with All Blacks Sevens talisman Vilimoni Koroi scoring two tries.
The highest score Otago has ever achieved against Waikato was 49 in their meritorious 1998 NPC final triumph at Carisbrook, where Otago fielded 13 internationals in their starting XV.
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Sam Smith (Hawke’s Bay)
The Magpies shut down Taranaki with a gritty 26-12 victory at McLean Park in Napier – the visitors failing to score a try for the first time in any game since a 21-6 defeat to Waikato in 2022.
Despite a creaky scrum and yellow cards in each half to veterans Folau Fakatava and Isaia Walker-Leawere, Hawke’s Bay were more resolute on defense and clinical on attack in a scrappy affair tailor made for a pugnacious openside flanker.
Smith was immense with 15 tackles and three turnovers and while he conceded three penalties he carried vigorously 15 times including a decisive thrust for a try in the 66th minute when the score was 19-12.
A product of the Wairarapa College First XV for whom he played 60 matches, Smith appeared a dozen times for Wellington before settling in the Hawke’s Bay where he has played 33 games.
Lucas Cashmore (Bay of Plenty)
Bay of Plenty scored 21 unanswered points to pull ahead of Tasman after trailing 7-6 at halftime.
First five-eighth Cashmore was an assured presence putting the Steamers into the right areas of the field with his precise kicking. From the tee he successfully converted two penalties and two conversions.
Cashmore played a crucial role in the hosts’ first two tries, executing a behind-the-back offload in a style reminiscent of the Harlem Globetrotters that led to Kele Lasaqa’s try in the 46th minute. On the hour mark he instigated the run and offload that resulted in the ninth try of the season for All Blacks Sevens and Hurricanes speedster Fehi Fineanganofo.
Although Tasman targeted Cashmore defensively, he remained largely secure, making a dozen tackles.
Nikora Broughton is emerging as a compelling candidate for a possible All Blacks XV selection. The No. 8 has been a model of consistency for the Steamers, starting in every game this season, and ranks among the top 20 in the NPC for tackles made and carries. He is also a dependable option in the lineout.
Tom Christie (Canterbury)
In a gruelling 100-minute arm wrestle featuring 26 players with double-digit tackle counts, Canterbury’s captain, Tom Christie, delivered an inspirational performance in a 23-15 triumph for the Red & Black. Christie, the NPC’s top tackler, led the hosts count with a monumental 31 tackles. One of his standout moments came in the second half when the score was tied at 15-15, and the Steelers were just a meter away from the Canterbury try line. Christie executed a crucial ruck turnover, preventing them from scoring. Later, with the help of Andrew Knewstubb, he stopped a rampant Peniasi Malimali, averting another scoring opportunity.
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When Canterbury was down 15-8, Christie’s quick tap caught the Counties defense off-guard, allowing center Braydon Ennor to score the equalising try. Christie was also instrumental in a build-up that led to the match-winning try by Chay Fihaki in the 87th minute.
The late time Canterbury was stretched to extra time in an NPC playoff match was the 2018 final which they lost to Auckland 40-33 at Eden Park. In a 2012 semi-final Canterbury conquered Taranaki 51-27 in extra time in Christchurch. All Blacks prop Wyatt Crockett scored two tries. Canterbury went on to beat Auckland 31-18 in the final.
Aporosa Vuniyayawa (Thames Valley)
Thames Valley will defend their Meads Cup title on the road against unbeaten Mid Canterbury, boosted by a surge of confidence after smashing South Canterbury 61-31 in an extraordinary semi-final at Fraser Park in Timaru.
In 2024, South Canterbury had their New Zealand first-class record of 39 consecutive Heartland championship wins ended by Mid Canterbury. Between 2020 and 2024, South Canterbury was unbeaten at home for 25 straight matches.
Earlier this season, South Canterbury edged past Thames Valley 35-34 in the Heartland Championship round robin. However, they had no answer for the unstoppable Swamp Foxes on Saturday, conceding over 50 points at home against a Heartland opponent for the first time this millennium. The last time South Canterbury suffered such a heavy home defeat was in 2011, when they lost 49-22 to Poverty Bay. Prior to the establishment of the Heartland Championship in 2006, South Canterbury’s biggest home loss was 87-7 against the Central Vikings. In that match, All Black Roger Randle scored four tries, and the late Jarrod Cunningham contributed 37 points.
It was Thames Valley’s No. 8, Aporosa Vuniyayawa, who made headlines at Fraser Park on Saturday. The dynamic No. 8 scored four tries in the 10th, 26th, 36th, and 60th minutes. Vuniyayawa proved unstoppable inside the hosts’ 22, showcasing his explosive running ability. He has scored ten tries in ten matches this season.
Vuniyayawa is a product of James Cook High School and the Karaka club in Counties, where he has won two senior McNamara Cup championships in 2021 and 2025. This season, he surpassed 50 games for the club, serving as its captain. He has also represented the Counties Under-19s and Counties B teams.
Only three other players have scored four tries in a match for Thames Valley. Campbell scored his quartet on the road. Ellis and McLiver at home.
Irvine “Butch” Campbell vs. North Otago, 1990, 33-3
Gregory Ellis vs. North Otago, 1994, 86-7
Gavin McLiver vs. Marlborough, 1995, 45-33
NPC Semis
Friday: Otago (2) v Bay of Plenty (3), Dunedin, 7:15pm
Saturday: Canterbury (1) v Hawke’s Bay (4), Christchurch, 7:15pm