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Former All Black makes shock return for NPC final

155 days ago

Hika Elliot (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Former All Black hooker Hika Elliot has been named in the No. 16 jersey for Wellington in Saturday’s NPC final vs Bay of Plenty.

The 38-year-old has been called in after yet another injury befell another of Wellington’s hookers, this time Penieli Poasa.

Elliot, who had an eventful season representing South Canterbury in the recent Heartland Championship, joins a bench front row unit of Yota Kamimori and Bradley Crichton in the contest, who offer impact as replacements for the impressive Xavier Numia, Leni Apisai and Siale Lauaki.

Hugo Plummer and Akira Ieremia return in the second row while the lethal back row of Caleb Delany, captain Du’Plessis Kirifi and Brad Shields round out the forward pack for the 2022 champions.

Try-scoring machine Kyle Preston lines up at halfback, combining with Jackson Garden-Bachop in the halves. The pair will feed a class midfield duo of Riley Higgins and Peter Umaga-Jensen. An explosive back three of Losilosivale Filipo, Julian Savea and Tjay Clarke are sure to bring the finishing prowess to the final.

For the Steamers, Kurt Eklund is joined by Aidan Ross and Benet Kumeroa in the front row, with Naitoa Ah Kuoi and Aisake Vakasiuola rounding out the tight five. The back row features Jacob Norris, Joe Johnston and Nikora Broughton.

Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi will start at halfback, joined by Kaleb Trask in the 10 jersey. Two internationally capped players in Uilisi Halaholo and Emoni Narawa will run out in the midfield. Reon Paul, Leroy Carter and Cole Forbes provide the X-factor out wide.

Wellington

1. Xavier Numia
2. Leni Apisai
3. Siale Lauaki
4. Hugo Plummer
5. Akira Ieremia
6. Caleb Delany
7. Du’Plessis Kirifi
8. Brad Shields
9. Kyle Preston
10. Jackson Garden-Bachop
11. Losilosivale Filipo
12. Riley Higgins
13. Peter Umaga-Jensen
14. Julian Savea
15. Tjay Clarke

Substitutes

16. Hikawera Elliot
17. Yota Kamimori
18. Bradley Crichton
19. Filo Paulo
20. Sione Halalilo
21. Nui Muriwai
22. Callum Harkin
23. Stanley Solomon

Bay of Plenty

1. Aidan Ross
2. Kurt Eklund
3. Benet Kumeroa
4. Naitoa Ah Kuoi
5. Aisake Vakasiuola
6. Jacob Norris
7. Joe Johnston
8. Nikora Broughton
9. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
10. Kaleb Trask
11. Reon Paul
12. Uilisi Halaholo
13. Emoni Narawa
14. Leroy Carter
15. Cole Forbes

Substitutes

16. Taine Kolose
17. Josh Bartlett
18. Filipe Vakasiuola
19. Kalin Felise
20. Semisi Paea
21. Lucas Cashmore
22. Fehi Fineanganofo
23. Codemeru Vai

Comments

1 Comment

MakeOllieMathisAnAB 154 days ago

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Comments on RugbyPass

SG 38 minutes ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

England have absolutely no need for him. Tom Willis and Ben Earl are better with a much higher work rate.

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JW 1 hour ago

'Ulster, though no one wants to admit it, isn't much more than a development province right now.'

No full games on the IRU YT channel unfortunately, all on subscription? Looks a fairly good level (1A).

Yes I mean I wouldn’t really know the local ratio of origin here, but certainly as a province with less resources mine has a ratio that veers heavily towards club rep. The club stories are often the best so get probably an imbalanced proportion of coverage to where most players actually come from though.

Those were a couple of Ulster (regional) clubs too, good good. Those clubs/size towns are very much where you find most talent coming from (compared to the big city), so your productivity depends very much on your systems in place for scouting talent. With the more wealthy and popular sport of NRL (hence more info out there) I’ve seen some interesting studies on player origins in this respect, which I think would be a very balanced base of data to draw conclusions from.

Yes I’m wondering how those names as examples compare to the likes of Bryne getting squeezed out for a lack of places. I’m only thinking of effects far down the line as a result of Irelands #1 ranking and increased publicity/interest and how Irelands system will take advantage of them.

47 Go to comments

GP 1 hour ago

James O'Connor earns first Crusaders start against Moana Pasifika

Regarding the Crusaders side . Great to see promising young lock Jamie Hannah back in the starting team. He has certainly been through the mill since debuting for the Crusaders, even before playing for Canterbury. All his hard work has paid off. Antonio Shalfoon , who has been rested for this match has been amazing locking with AB captain Scott Barrett. I really rate Jamie Hannah as one of the best young locks of which there are a few coming through. Including his Canterbury and Crusaders team mate Liam Jack. Father is Graham Jack ,he played for Canterbury and the Crusaders in the 1990’s. Older brother of Chris, who of course was an All Black.

4 Go to comments

Andrew Nichols 1 hour ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Gloucester are in the market for a top-class replacement ..Well why would they then be talking to HS?

7 Go to comments

Utiku Old Boy 1 hour ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

I include Cunningham-South. He was born in England but moved to NZ at 4 yrs and learnt his rugby there. His dad was a schoolboy coach. In recent years, Teimana Harrison was - as was Brad Shields.

7 Go to comments

GB 1 hour ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Cunningham-South was born in the UK but raised in NZ.

Makes a good point, wouldn't walk into the English set up.

Better to roll his sleeves up and play himself into the ABs

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Spew_81 1 hour ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Not sure what the ethical issue is. If it’s going for the money, it’s either do that or NZ rugby slowly dies as all the better players leave. So it’s the more lesser of two evils. Sell out a bit more as a Union, or the players sell out one by one.

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Spew_81 1 hour ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Yes, the team was similar. But the two locks made a huge difference. Kaino wasn’t a lock and Tuipolutu has only very recently started playing close to his potential (his work rate was terrible until recently).

The Irish lineout maul wouldn’t have been the weapon it was on that day if Hansen started Whitelock and Retallick (or even two proper locks). Though they wouldn’t have been guaranteed to win.

Doing the new haka when the Irish were mourning a great of theirs didn’t help. The action at the end of that haka has been interpreted negatively and some see it as a but disrespectful.

Still if the All Blacks did their normal haka they wouldn’t have been guaranteed to win.

41 Go to comments

Koro Teeps 1 hour ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Absolutely no certainty he would make the current English squad. He’s not in the All Black conversation either. Physical, explosive player with ball in hand but sometimes struggles to impose himself fully on all aspects of the game.

7 Go to comments

DC 1 hour ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Who are the Kiwis (plural)? The only one I can think of is Ethan Root.

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Gradier Walter 3 hours ago

Don't get out over your skis on the Highlanders