Wellington Lions v Canterbury Stat Attack

Wellington beat Canterbury 46-21 in their fourth round NPC match on Sunday at Rangiora. Some facts and figures by Peter Marriott.

Round 4 v Canterbury: Won 46-21

The two sides have now met on 56 occasions in NPC matches. Wellington has won 28 times to Canterbury’s 26. There have been two draws.

Wellington has played Canterbury more often than they have against any other union in the NPC. Auckland is next with 50 encounters.

Of the twenty-nine matches hosted by Canterbury, the home side has won 18 and Wellington nine.

With their third win in a row the Wellington Lions have established a new record for successive NPC victories against Canterbury, away from home. Previously they had won two in a row on two occasions: in 1979 and 1981 and again in 1999 and 2000 when they won the NPC Final 34-29 at the then named Jade Stadium more affectionately known as Lancaster Park.

This was the first time the Lions played Canterbury at the Rangiora Showground Oval in Rangiora.

Wellington has won their first four matches of the season for the 12th time in 49 years of NPC rugby. They have gone on to win the first five on just seven occasions.

Canterbury failed to score in the first half of the match and were down 0-31 at the break. As recentlyas the Semifinal at Wellington in 2019 Canterbury were also held scoreless in the first half (0-17) before going on to lose that match 19-30.

Wellington has extended their record for successive away wins against all sides to 12. Their last loss on the road was, in fact, to Canterbury in 2022: 10-43 at what is now branded as the Apollo Projects Stadium.

This was the Lions 250th NPC match away from home. They have won 136 times (54.4%), lost 106 and drawn eight.

The Lions 46 points is their third highest score in all matches against Canterbury. They won 60-14 at Wellington in 2017 and prior to that match 48-11 at Wellington in 1990 at the old Athletic Park.

Those 46 points are also Wellington’s highest score against Canterbury, away from home. In their Semifinal match of 2010 the visitors were on the wrong side of the scoreboard in Christchurch losing losing 41-57.

Canterbury brought up their 100th try against the Lions at home. The total now sits on 102. Waikato is next on the table with 80 tries in home matches against Wellington.

Wellington’s six tries took their total against Canterbury in all matches to 169. This is a new record against all NPC sides. Waikato previously held this dubious record having conceded 164 tries to the Lions.

Wellington has also scored a record 1380 points against Canterbury. Again, Waikato was the previous holder of this record having conceded 1338 points.

Incumbent captain Du’Plessis Kirifi was unavailable for the match owing to an injury (broken jaw) sustained in the previous match against Manawatu.

This match against Canterbury would have been Kirifi’s 50th leading the Lions.

Peter Umaga-Jensen led the side against Canterbury: the third match in which he has been in charge. His previous two matches were against Canterbury and Bay of Plenty, both last year. He has won all three matches.

Umaga-Jensen scored two tries in this match, the second time he has scored a double. He now has 18 tries in 60 matches for Wellington. Six of his tries are against Canterbury: one in 2020, two in 2021,one in 2023 and two in this match.

Caleb Delany scored his second try in his 39th match. It was his first try against Canterbury.

Kyle Preston now has four tries in 15 matches. He also scored against Canterbury last year.

Tjay Clarke’s try was his sixth in 11 matches for the Lions. He has scored in each of Wellington’s first four matches in 2024.

Jackson Garden-Bachop came off the bench in this match and scored a try: his 14th in his 93rd appearance. He also kicked a conversion and with seven points he took his total in all matches for Wellington to 742. He inches ever-closer to passing the late Mick Williment’s total of 748 points which has him currently in third place on Wellington’s all-time list of point scorers.

Garden-Bachop has now scored 79 points against Canterbury.

In his first start in the No 10 jersey, Callum Harkin kicked 14 points. He missed none of his six attempts at goal.

Riley Higgins has now had three starts this year, in three different positions (jerseys No 14, No 13 and No 12).

In the absence of the incumbent No 7 and captain, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Sione Halalilo started the match in that position. This was his 10th appearance for the Lions and eighth start. Since making his debut in 2022, all of Halalilo’s starts have been in the No 7 jersey when Kirifi has been unavailable for that match.

Leni Apisai made his first start for the Lions since their 59-45 win in the 2017 Final against Bay of Plenty at Wellington. That was seven years ago but admittedly he had not played for the Capital’s side since then. That was also the match in which Wellington won promotion back to the Premiership in 2018.

A rather amusing incident happened on the field at the 57 minute mark when the referee ordered Pepesana Patafilo (wearing jersey No 11) to leave the field for an HIA. A minute later he realised he had the wrong man: it was Julian Savea (wearing jersey No 14) who had to go. Savea subsequently failed his HIA.

After four rounds, Wellington is still the only side not to have had a penalty kicked against it.

A moments silence was held before the match in honour of the recent passing of the Māori King, Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII.

Wellington played their third match in a row on a Sunday.

Wellington retained the Harry Saundercock Memorial Trophy.

Wellington’s overall record in the NPC is: played 504 matches, won 320 (63.5%), lost 172 and drawn 12.