46 - 27

Wellington name impressive squad featuring 16 Hurricanes

27 Aug 2020

(Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Wellington Lions head coach, Leo Crowley, has named a 36-man squad ahead of the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup campaign.

In it, 23-year-old loose forward, Du’Plessis Kirifi, has been made captain for the second consecutive year after leading his side to the final in 2019.

Crowley says Kirifi is a natural leader who has great rapport with his teammates.

“He is a captain that leads from the front on the field. Other experienced players around him all play their part around leadership too.”

Finding a seat on the All Blacks bus | Aotearoa Rugby Pod

Video Player is loading.

Current Time 0:00

Duration 0:00

Loaded: 0%

Stream Type LIVE

Remaining Time 0:00

Finding a seat on the All Blacks bus | Aotearoa Rugby Pod

The Lions assemble officially for the first time on Monday and will begin working towards their opening clash against Waikato at FMG Stadium on September 12.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEaX4gKgReu/

Whilst it’s a tight turnaround, Crowley, says there’s no excuse to not be ready.

“In a normal year going full-time two weeks before a competition is risky. But I look at other areas around NZ who don’t even get that preparation so definitely no excuses from us.”

Adding to that, 19 of the players named have had time in the Super Rugby environment over the last eight months.

This year’s competition will also be a little different, with All Blacks players back in the fold for at least the first three rounds.

“We look forward to our All Blacks being part of our campaign. They will all contribute in their own way. I’m sure the opportunity to pull on the Lions jersey again excites them.”

Wellington isn’t scheduled for its first home game until the 25th of September, and it’s hoped crowds will be able to attend.

“First home game will be special for this group. They look forward to playing in front of their families and supporters every week.”

The Wellington Lions squad for the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup is:

Naitoa Ah Kuoi
Fraser Armstrong
Vince Aso
Asafo Aumua
Ben Aumua-Peseta
Teariki Ben-Nicholas
James Blackwell
Dane Coles
Connor Collins
Caleb Delaney
Alex Fidow
Vaea Fifita
Connor Garden-Bachop
Jackson Garden-Bachop
Wes Goosen
Callum Harkin
Kemara Hauiti-Parapara
Mateaki Kafatolu
Du’Plessis Kirifi
Ruben Love
Aidan Morgan
Xavier Numia
James O’Reilly
Pepesana Patafilo
TJ Perenara
Taine Plumtree
Morgan Poi
James Poloniati
Billy Proctor
Trent Renata
Ardie Savea
Julian Savea
Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe
Tyronne Thompson
Kaliopasi Uluilakepa
Peter Umaga-Jensen

– Wellington Rugby

South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Saitama Wildknights vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

Perry Baker in the house | HSBC Life on Tour | Los Angeles

Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Comments

0 Comments

Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Latest Features

LONG READ

What the data tells us about the make-up of the 2025 British and Irish Lions squad

Andy Farrell has picked a squad rich in age and experience and the hope is they don't get run off their feet Down Under

LONG READ

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

If they get their selection right, and see Andrew Porter's driving angle penalised, the Wallabies could turn a traditional weakness into their trump card.

LONG READ

Lions 2025: ‘Lights, cameras...action’

Andy Farrell's squad announcement hit the high notes for all the right reasons as the tour to Australia fast approaches

Comments on RugbyPass

OJohn 41 minutes ago

Geoff Parling returns to Leicester as head coach

Hooray

0 Go to comments

Carlos 1 hour ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

He was also a YC magnet.

32 Go to comments

Carlos 1 hour ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Windsor-Faulkner-Price. 😊

32 Go to comments

Solenn Bonnet 1 hour ago

Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

WhatsApp.. +15617263697

website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

Telegram.. +15617263697

0 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 1 hour ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Ah, the Pooler front row ! Most legendary in the history of the , I would think. Max Boyce helped…”Here we. here we, here we go, with the Pontypool front row.”

32 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 1 hour ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Would not go as far as whole house in our family, but for me, yes, W1. Loved playing in the scrum, love watching now😀

32 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 1 hour ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Yes, I see that article here on RP, Nick. That is good news that Schmidt is going to look at the o’seas players.

Yes, I would think you are right that LAR will qualify. On the same points as MP, but surely they are too good not to win this crunch game….could be tEnse for ROG in the stands though.

32 Go to comments

BC 1 hour ago

Who would make it into a Women's British and Irish Lions starting XV?

I would pick Oifa Wafer at 6, put Aldcroft in the second row with Ward. I think Wafer is one of the few non-England players mentioned that would contend for a Red Rose shirt, the others being King and possibly Neve Jones. Conversely there are two English players mentioned, Sing and Venner, that probably won’t even make the Red Rose WC squad, let alone a Lions Tour. Still a lot can change in two years, watch out for Millie David.

1 Go to comments

Otagoman II 1 hour ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Great article NB, thanks. I would like to know what is the reasoning why so many things are penalties in the scrum. Is it to do with safety or something else?

32 Go to comments

NB 1 hour ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

👍

32 Go to comments

NB 1 hour ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Always the same at the other place. Some of those perceptions of him at the Tahs - lazy, overweight and slow - were impossible to shift!

32 Go to comments

NB 1 hour ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Hang on to Miz Carlos!

32 Go to comments

NB 1 hour ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

They will prob want him for the Lions and maybe sacrifice the Novemeber tour window in order to do so. You could add that Skelton is prob more important to the WB cause than any of the French based to the Lions?

32 Go to comments

NB 1 hour ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

😁

32 Go to comments

NB 1 hour ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Brought up on the exploits of the Pooler front row, so cannot disagree!

32 Go to comments

PR 1 hour ago

As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

Depends on gameplan and conditions. LBB and Penaud behind a retreating pack won’t be as effective. True, Lowe is not the fastest, but almost unstoppable close to the line, has a booming boot for exists and, like most Kiwi backs, reads the game extremely well. If my team was being dragged into the gutters on a rainy night, I would easily pick Lowe over LBB and Penaud. If my backline had constent front-foot ball then, sure, LBB and Penaud. If Kolbe and KLA wasn’t available of course.

196 Go to comments

GS 2 hours ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Will LAR be prepared to release him to the Wallabies outside the international window?

Interesting that Blair Kinghorn is the only player selected for the Lions playing in France, which gives some idea of the difficulty in introducing a player into the squad, whilst training and some games have/are been played.

32 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 2 hours ago

As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

Hmmmm Kolbe I can go with but Lowe ahead of LBB or Penaud? Nah, you’ve lost me on that one. A coach like Joe Schmidt will have a plan to stitch up Lowe like a kipper, faster oil tankers out there these days!

196 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 2 hours ago

As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

Yes, I struggle to have an opinion as you can see…🤣

196 Go to comments

frandinand 2 hours ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

I'm constantly amazed at the negative comments both on here and more so at the other place re Skelton.