Wellington Lions v Bay of Plenty FINAL Stat Attack

The Wellington Lions defeated Bay of Plenty 23-20 in the 2024 NPC final.

Some facts and figures from the final by Peter Marriott below.

Final v Bay of Plenty: Won 23-20 (In Extra Time)

The NPC Finals format was introduced in 1992 and since then Wellington has been involved in 13 First Division/Premiership Final matches. (They were also in the 2017 Final against Bay of Plenty but that was at Championship level the victor, Wellington, winning promotion back to the Premiership Division).

Of the 13 Finals played by Wellington they have now won three: 2000 v Canterbury at Christchurch (34-29), 2022 v Canterbury at Christchurch (26-18) and in 2024 against Bay of Plenty at Wellington (23-20 in extra time).

Significantly this was Wellington’s first win in a Final at home.

Wellington’s 10 losses have been against Canterbury (four times), Auckland (three times), and Hawke’s Bay, Tasman and Waikato one time each.

Before 1992 the winner of the NPC was the union which scored the most points in Round Robin play and Wellington was also a three-time Champion in that format.

Wellington has now been NPC Champion on six occasions: in 1978, 1981, 1986, 2000, 2022 and 2024.

Wellington and Bay of Plenty have met 39 times in the NPC. Wellington has won 31 of those matches to Bay of Plenty’s six. There have been two draws.

At full-time the two sides were locked at 20-20 which forced the match into extra time: an additional 10 minutes each way with the team having the most points after 20 minutes being declared the winner.

Only three points were scored in those extra 20 minutes, a penalty to Wellington in the 93rd minute which gave them the win 23-20.

By coincidence in Round 7 of regular play, the two sides had met at the same venue (Sky Stadium) and at full-time the scores had been tied 25-25. On that occasion the match went to Golden Point which meant the first side to score was the winner. Wellington scored a try in the first minute to win 30-25.

The Wellington Lions have won their last seven matches in a row at home against Bay of Plenty which equals their record of consecutive victories first established between 1979 and 1991.

The Lions won all eight of their home matches in 2024, their best-ever season. Previously the record had been seven (out of eight) matches in 2008 and all seven matches played in 2017.

The Lions 11 wins this year equal their record for most wins in a season. They also achieved this in 2008 (11 wins from 13 matches), in 2017 (11 from 12) and in 2022 (11 from 13).

The Lions scored 56 tries, the most since their record 74 in 2017.

This year the Lions conceded 44 tries, the most since 2019 when 46 were scored against them.

The Lions made two changes to their starting XV against Bay of Plenty from the one which played against Waikato in the Semi-final. Both changes were in the backs. This was the first time this year the forwards remained the same in successive matches. This last occurred in 2020 when in fact the forwards line-up was the same for three matches in a row. Those matches were against Counties Manukau (won), Tasman and Hawke’s Bay (both lost).

For the record the pack (numbered from eight to one) was Teariki Ben-Nicholas, Mateaki Kafatolu, Vaea Fifita, Naitoa Ah Kuoi (now with Bay of Plenty), James Blackwell, Alex Fidow, James O’Reilly and Xavier Numia.

Julian Savea scored two tries, the fourth time he has picked up a brace in a match. Previously he had scored twice against Otago at Dunedin in 2010, against Bay of Plenty at Wellington in 2022 and against Taranaki at Porirua in Round 2 this year.

Julian Savea has joined a select group of Wellington players who have scored two tries in a NPC Final.

They are: Jonah Lomu against Canterbury in 2000 (won), Christian Cullen against Auckland in 2003 (lost), Ma’a Nonu against Waikato in 2006 (lost) and Cory Jane against Hawke’s Bay in 2015 (lost). (In the 2017 Championship Final against Bay of Plenty, Tolu Fahamokioa scored twice).

Savea has scored 29 tries including five against Bay of Plenty, in 74 appearances.

Losi Filipo has scored 12 tries including two against Bay of Plenty, in 26 matches for the Lions.

Playing in his 100th match for Wellington, Jackson Garden-Bachop kicked five points to take his total in all matches to 783. He is now just 15 points shy of passing John Gallagher (797 points) to move into second place on Wellington’s all-time point-scorers list.

Of his total points, 66 have been scored in 10 matches against Bay of Plenty, a team he has never lost to.

Jackson Garden-Bachop is the 22nd Wellington player to reach the milestone of 100 matches and those before him were: Graham Williams, Al Keown, Andy Leslie, Nev MacEwan, Ken Gray, Bernie Fraser, Don McIntosh, Ian Stevens, Ivan Vodanovich, Kevin Phelan, Murray Mexted, Mick Williment, Allan Hewson, Scott Crichton, Gerard Wilkinson, Neil Sorensen, Paul Quinn, Brian McGrattan, Brian
Cederwall, Murray Pierce and Tana Umaga.

Umaga was the last player before Garden-Bachop to appear in 100 matches for Wellington. He brought up his century against Manawatu at Wellington on 11 August 2007 and did not play again for Wellington.

Jackson Garden-Bachop played his 100th match 17 years and 76 days after Tana Umaga played his 100th and last.

Hika Elliot was drafted into the Wellington side due to a desperate shortage of Hookers. He was on the bench and when he went on as a replacement for Leni Apisai he became the sixth player this season to fill the Hookers role. The five other players used were: Penieli Poasa (four starts and seven as a replacement), Leni Apisai (seven and four), Harry Press (one start only), Leon Tuiloma (one only as
a replacement) and Asafo Aumua (one start only).

In the 13 matches played in 2024, a total of 42 players were used including 14 who made their debut for Wellington of which Elliot was one.

Siale Lauaki and Kyle Preston were the only two players to appear in all 13 matches. Xavier Numia made the most starts (12), Jackson Garden-Bachop scored the most points (77), Preston scored the most tries (eight) and Tjay Clarke was on the field for the most minutes (893).

Aidan Ross scored his first try against Wellington. Initially it was disallowed by the on-field referee buton referral to the TMO, it was awarded. Wellington charged the conversion early but it was successful.

Emoni Narawa scored his fourth try against Wellington. He had previously touched down in 2019, 2021 and 2022.

Kaleb Trask kicked 10 points to add to the 15 he scored in 2022.

In the 15th minute Leroy Carter crossed the line and was awarded an on-field try. However, this was over-ruled by the TMO who deemed the ball was knocked-on in goal.

Before the match the National Anthem was sung by Moana Leota.

Angus Mabey was in charge for the second Lions match in a row and third this season. The previous two were the Semi-final against Waikato and the earlier Round 7 match against Bay of Plenty which also went into extra time in the form of Golden Point.

Ben O’Keeffe and Paul Williams were the Assistant Referees and Richard Kelly was the TMO.

Wellington’s overall record in the NPC is: played 513 matches, won 327 (63.7%), lost 174 and drawn 12.

When extended to two decimal places Wellington’s winning percentage is 63.74. (The side had started the year with a 63.20 winning percentage having lost their final match of the previous season). The last time Wellington sat on a winning percentage as high as this was way back in 2013 when they lost the Final against Canterbury at Wellington on 26 October: exactly 11 years ago to the day. Then, the
percentage was 63.75 having been at 63.91 after their Semi-final win against Counties Manukau in the previous match. In those 11 years Wellington has played 124 matches for 79 wins, 43 losses and two draws.

As a matter of interest a loss now decreases the winning percentage by (approx.) 0.13 and victory increases the winning percentage by (approx.) 0.07.