NPC Number Crunching: Wellington v Otago

Above: Dominic Ropeti gets his pass away in a previous match, with Logan Henry and Hugo Plummer in the foreground. Ropeti’s try against Otago was his ninth in 34 matches for Wellington. It was his second try against Otago following the one he scored in 2024, the last time the team played in Dunedin.

Ropeti has the distinction of scoring the Lions 800th try in all away matches. The total now sits on 801.

The Stat Attack by compiled by Peter Marriott continues for this year’s 50^th National Provincial Championship competition. The third one from Sunday’s macabre spectacle against Otago. 

Round 4 v Otago: Lost 22-61

The Wellington Lions have lost all four of their matches played this year. When added to the loss of their final two matches last year they are currently sitting on a losing streak of six matches in a row.

They also lost six in succession spread over the 1991/92 seasons.

However, their worst-ever run of losses occurred in 2013/14 when they failed to win 10 matches on the trot: the final match in 2013 and the first nine in 2014.

The Lions have also lost their last six away games in a row: the two which they have played this year and the final four they played last year. They had previously lost six in a row in 2013/14 but the record is seven in succession: the last four matches in 1991 and the first three in 1992.

The Lions have played 260 matches away from home for 138 wins (53.1%), 114 losses and eight draws.

The 61 points conceded by the Lions is the fourth highest score registered against them in a NPC match. In 1998 they were beaten 82-10 by Otago in Dunedin, the year before that they lost 7-73 to Canterbury at Christchurch and in 1995 Canterbury had beaten them 66-17, also in Christchurch.

The Lions have now conceded 50 or more points twice in the same season. The first time was in 2016 when they lost 28-50 to Manawatu at Palmerston North followed four days later by a 31-54 loss to Taranaki in Wellington. Those games were preceded by a 60-21 home win against Southland.

The Lions have conceded 50 points or more on 13 occasions.

The Lions 22 points is their lowest score against Otago in 10 years since losing 21-44 at Dunedin in 2016.

They have also lost their last two matches in a row against Otago. This had not happened since they lost three in a row between 2001 and 2003.

Overall, the Lions and the Blue and Golds have played 48 times. The Lions have won 27 times and Otago 19 times. There have been two draws: in 1993 (Wellington) and 2004 (Dunedin).

Otago has hosted the Lions 23 times. The visitors have won 12 of those matches and Otago 10. And of course there was the draw.

The Lions have scored exactly 500 points in all their away matches against Otago.

Wellington and Otago competed for the Mike Gibson Memorial Trophy which celebrated Mike Gibson who played for both sides but sadly passed away in 1988 at the age of 27. The trophy was first played for in 1989 and was retained this year by Otago who took it off Wellington last year.

At the end of Round 4 Wellington remained in 13th position in the Standings while Otago was in fifth, up one level from the previous round.

The Lions made six changes in the starting lineup compared to the XV which started in the previous match against North Harbour. Two of those changes were in the backs and four in the forwards. One change involved Du’Plessis Kirifi who after two experimental matches in the backs returned to his rightful place in the forwards.

Reo Matsushita scored his third try of the season. He made his debut this year and has scored in every one of the three matches he has started.

Captain Caleb Delany scored his fourth try in his 61st match. It was his first try against Otago.

After playing his first three games for Wellington in the #15 jersey Cameron Burgess started at First- five eight. In the absence of Callum Harkin he was given the goal kicking duties and added seven points to the total. With his try on debut Burgess has now scored 12 points for the Lions.

William Davis made his debut for Wellington when he replaced Isi Saumaki after 47 minutes. Davis took the number of players who have made at least one appearance for the side in 2026 to 28, 13 of whom have been debutants.

Geordie Bean, Alex Hewitt and Jordan Soli all made their first start for Wellington.

For the record current Wellington Head Coach Trent Renata kicked seven conversions for Wellington against Otago in 2019 and the following year scored a try.

Otago scored nine tries, the most the Lions have conceded in any match since Otago scored a record 12 tries in their 82-10 win at Carisbrook in 1998.

In their first four matches this year the Lions have conceded 30 tries.

Jae Broomfield, Kieran McClea, Harry Irving and Josh Whaanga all scored their first try against the Lions. Sam Nemec-Vial scored twice.

Nemec-Vial was listed on the bench to play Wellington in last year’s match but did not get onto the field.

Broomfield received a yellow card in the 67th minute.

Irving had previously played one match for the Lions. It was their final match last season and his entire career for the Wellington Lions lasted 32 minutes.

Jona Nareki’s try was his second against the Lions as was Slade McDowall’s but the latter’s first try was in a rare non-NPC match which the two teams played in 2021.

Lucas Casey has scored four tries against the Lions: in 2024 he scored one in Dunedin and last year, in Porirua, he picked up a double.

Cameron Millar continues to score heavily against the Lions. In the non-NPC match in 2021 he kicked 18 points but in 2022 it was only six points and in 2024 it was just four points. Last year in Porirua he kicked 16 points and that many again in this year’s encounter. In five matches Millar has scored 60 points against Wellington at an average of 12 points a match.

In the four rounds played so far opposition players have between them attempted 31 kicks at goal. Just one of those attempts was a penalty and that was taken by Millar: he missed.

Referee Marcus Playle was in charge of his third match involving the Lions and his second Wellington/ Otago match. He also had the whistle for the match in 2024 and before that in Invercargill in 2022 when the Lions were hosted by Southland.

The Wellington Lions have played 527 NPC matches for 330 wins (62.6%), 185 losses and 12 draws.

Otago have played 522 NPC matches for 264 wins (50.6%), 246 losses and 12 draws.

In Round 5 the Lions host Counties Manukau at Hnry Stadium, on Sunday 30 August at 2.05pm.

Overall the two sides have met on 39 occasions: Wellington has won 24 times to Counties Manukau’s 13 times. There have been two draws.

They did not play in 2025 but the Lions won the last time they played: a Quarter-final at Wellington in 2024. The Lions have not been beaten at home by Counties Manukau since 2010.