Kyle Preston and Lions focused on NPC final this coming Saturday

• By Steven White

Update: Kyle Preston has been named as starting halfback for the Wellington Lions, inside Jackson Garden-Bachop who will be at first five for this 100th match for Wellington.

The teams can be viewed on our Draws & Results page HERE

Kyle Preston is like a cat on a hot tin roof.

Well, he is a Wellington Lion, his form is strong and he’s scored some sizzling tries in recent weeks, and last time we spoke to him 18 months ago he was spending his week days working as a roofer.

Cheesy introductions aside, on Saturday, and in just his second season of NPC rugby, Preston looms as a key player for the Wellington Lions in their home NPC final against the Bay of Plenty Steamers at Wellington Stadium.

As the starting halfback, Preston is the spark to ignite Wellington’s attacking effort against an in-form Steamers side who have the credentials to tip over the Lions and win their first NPC Premiership final.

It almost came unstuck just three weeks ago against Hawke’s Bay when his own sin-binning early in the game was the cause of some alarm amongst Lions supporters as the Magpies opened up a 21-0 lead and almost scored again.

“My early sinbinning in that match didn’t help the boys but really lit a fire in their bellies and when I was able to come back on to restore us to 15 players t started turning things around and finished well,” said Preston.

This came just a week after the Lions had been beaten 51-12 by Counties Manukau in their Jonah Lomu Trophy clash.

A poor day in the NPC can prove costly. “Counties Manukau played really well that day, and our boys didn’t front up in the physical battle, which is what we addressed afterwards, said Preston.

“We learnt a lot from that defeat, and have kept growing as a team to this point where we are now in the final and have a chance to take the title.”

Since then, Preston and the Lions turned that around with the comeback 46-28 win over Hawke’s Bay, the reversal 29-14 quarter-final win over Counties Manukau (Preston one try off the bench, coming on for TJ Perenara) and last week’s semi-final victory over Waikato 29-24 (Preston two tries).

Now on to Bay of Plenty in Saturday’s final, and Preston and the Lions are under no illusion that they will need to be on their game to win and secure what would be their sixth NPC title.

“We have to plan for everything that might happen and how they will play. They are going to front up physically, but our boys will be up for it. We are not going to do too much or change much, we are going to play our own game.”

The Lions beat Bay of Plenty 30-25 when they met in round-robin at the same venue on 21 September, winning in golden point extra time.

With scores locked at 25-25, Preston scored the golden point try in the first minute of extra time, running on to a Riley Higgins kick and chase.

“That game aside, we have a fair idea of what they will bring to the final, so hopefully we can counter that and hold them off again.”

There are also familiar players in the Steamers side for Wellington fans, in such players as MSP lock Naitoa ah Kuoi and Norths wing Reon Paul and the player Preston will likely be marking at halfback, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, who has a fair amount of experience playing for BoP and Taranaki as well as club rugby in Wellington for Johnsonville.

Additionally, the coaching box is headlined by former Poneke player and coach Richard Watt, who will like nothing more than to get one over his fo province.

Preston expects a fair bit of push and shove and talking by both sets of players out there on Saturday afternoon.

He has enjoyed being part of the Wellington Lions halfback group, with newcomer Nui Muriwai from the Waikato amongst them and working hard, as well as Mitchell McLeod (injured but still training) and in recent weeks TJ Perenara.

Experience counts as well. “We have got a few guys who have been round for a while and having them around and on our side is massive for us.”

The Lions have missed all-action loose forwards Du Plessis Kirifi (current captain) and Brad Shields (former captain) at various times this season through injury, If fit, Jackson Garden-Bachop will play his 100^th match for the Lions in the final.

Preston slots into the team like a glove, but this is just his second season in Lions colours.

In his debut season in 2023, Preston made eight NPC appearances, including three starts at halfback, and came off the bench in the two losses to Hawke’s Bay which saw them lose the Ranfurly Shield and then bow out at the quarter-final stage.

This year he has played all 12 matches, including eight starts at halfback.

Previously, he had been knocking on the door of selection for three years, as a Wellington Development player.

You’ve got wood. Preston finishes off this sweet try for Old Boys University in their 35-27 Swindale Shield round four and Wood Cup victory over Hutt Old Boys Marist in April this year.

The former Tawa College student originally joined the Tawa club and played 31 Premier matches for Tawa in 2018 and 2019, mostly as understudy to Kemara Hauiti-Parapara.

He joined OBU in Covid year, 2020, and this year celebrated winning both the Swindale Shield and Jubilee Cup with the Billygoats – something he is immensely proud of.

It’s a family affair with the Prestons, with father Richard heavily involved in the local game (most recently as a coach at the Wellington Axemen) and brothers Ryan and Adam both former Tawa Premier players.

Utility back Adam has been playing U85kgs for the champion Tawa Ducks and recently was selected as one of three players in the New Zealand U85kg squad, along with loose forward Pasia Asiata (Poneke) and teammate and former Tawa Premier hooker Matt Treeby.

“He is super-stoked to make that team, as the family is too. It is really exciting for him.”

His family would ordinarily all be at the final on Saturday.

“Unfortunately not! Mum and dad booked a trip a long ago not thinking about a home NPC final with myself playing in it. They are currently on holiday in Japan, and will be watching the All Blacks live this weekend. They will be cheering on their hotel before they head out to the test.”

As far as this story goes, the rumour of Preston (as told to us or heard on other channels by at least three sources) going to the Crusaders next year remains unsubstantiated. The question was put to him, but he declined to comment one way or another.

For now his focus is firmly on Saturday’s NPC final, which kicks off in Wellington at 3.05pm on Saturday afternoon, ahead of the test in Japan early evening.

Did you know?

Wellington and Bay of Plenty have met on 38 occasions in the NPC. Wellington has won 30 of those matches, Bay of Plenty has won six and there have been two draws.

The last time Bay of Plenty won in Wellington was on September 30, 2010, when tries by Ben Smith, Cory Aporo (former Upper Hutt midfielder) and Lelia Masaga, in addition to 16 points from Mike Delany, saw the Lions tamed 31-24.

Bay of Plenty hasn’t contested a Division 1 or Premiership final since finals were introduced in 1992. After winning Division 1 in the competition’s first season in 1976, Bay of Plenty were Division 2 winners in 1978 and 2000  – both years that Wellington won Division 1.

Heading into the 2024 final, Wellington’s overall record in the NPC is: played 512 matches, won 326 (63.7%), lost 174 and drawn 12.

Read our account of all 13 previous Division 1/Premiership finals that the Wellington Lions have played in at the link below: 

Wellington Lions playing in 14th NPC final on Saturday