NPC Number Crunching: Wellington Lions v Counties-Manukau

Hugo Plummer and Rupeni Raviyawa (on debut) survey their options at ruck-time in Sunday’s match between the Lions and Steelers.

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 glorious loss by the Wellington Lions to Counties-Manukau.

Round 5 v Counties Manukau: Lost 35-46

The Wellington Lions and the Counties Manukau Steelers have met on 40 occasions. The Lions have won 24 matches to the Steelers 14. There have been two draws.

The Lions have hosted the Steelers 19 times for 11 wins, seven losses and one draw.

The two sides did not meet in 2025.

The Lions have now lost all five of their matches played in 2026. This is their second-worst start to a season: the worst was in 2014 when they lost their first nine matches.

Having also lost the last two matches in 2025 the Lions are sadly on track to emulate their 10 match losing streak which includes the nine matches mentioned above and the final match of 2013.

The Lions have lost all three of their home matches at Hnry Stadium this year and the final match last year at the Jerry Collins Stadium. The last time they lost four home matches in a row was spread over 2013 and 2014 when they actually lost five in a row.

This was the Lions first loss to Counties Manukau at a home venue since losing 25-31 at the formerly known Westpac Stadium in 2010.

The 46 points conceded by the Lions are the most against the Steelers at a home venue bettering their 9-43 loss at Athletic Park in 1977.

Of the 268 home matches played by the Lions, they have won 192 (71.6%), lost 72 and drawn four.

Counties Manukau retained the Jonah Tali Lomu Memorial Trophy which is contested between them and Wellington. The late Jonah Lomu played 28 matches for Counties Manukau from 1994 to 1999 scoring 19 tries including two against Wellington. Between 2000 and 2003 he played 21 matches for Wellington and scored 13 tries, three of which were against Counties Manukau.

The Steelers scored seven tries for the second time against the Lions, one short of their record eight scored in their 43-9 victory in 1977 at the old Athletic Park.

The match aggregate of 81 points has been achieved twice before and is second only to the 95 points scored in the Lions 64-31 win at Pukekohe in 2022.

Wellington made six changes to their starting line-up from that which started the previous week against Otago. There were four changes in the backs and two in the forwards.

Both Alex Hewitt and Riley Williams scored their first try in their fifth match for the Lions.

Hugo Plummer’s try was his fifth in his 34th match.

Divad Palu scored his second try in his fifth match. It was his first appearance off the bench.

Divad Palu, jointly representing Norths and OBU, goes over for his try.

Reo Matsushita has now scored a try in each of the four matches he has started this year. He is the Lions top try scorer in 2026.

Cameron Burgess kicked 10 points to take his total in five matches to 22. Burgess made his kicking debut in the previous match against Otago in the absence of the incumbent goal kicker Callum Harkin.

Burgess missed his first kick in that match but has gone on to miss none of his subsequent eight attempts at goal.

Whilst probably not a record Wellington had five overseas-born players in the side. Two were from Japan, two from Australia and one from Fiji.

Rupeni Raviyawa made his debut for Wellington whilst Matt Proctor and Bradley Crichton made their first appearance of the season. These three players took the number who have made at least one appearance in 2026 to 31, including 14 debutants.Losi Filipo made his first start in the #12 jersey. In his previous 30 starts he had worn #11 seven times, #13 five times and #14 18 times.

Steelers Captain Jimmy Tupou (his Christian names are actually Sione Similai) scored his first try against the Lions.

Cameron Church scored his second try against the Lions.

Both Sione Molia and Ian West-Stevens scored two tries in the match. West-Stevens had previously scored in the match played in 2024.

It has been rare for two Counties Manukau players to each score two tries in a match against Wellington.

The last time it happened was in 2014 at Pukekohe when Augustine Pulu and Tim Nanai-Williams both dotted down twice.

AJ Alatimu also scored a try but kicked eight points as well. He has now accumulated 43 points against the Lions in four matches since 2023. Those points are made up of two tries, 12 conversions and three penalties. Before this match Alatimu had not missed any of his previous 11 attempts at goal against Wellington. He was successful with his first conversion in this match but missed his second attempt.

Gibson Popoali’i kicked a penalty, his first points against Wellington.

Leo Ngatai-Tafau was awarded a yellow card in the 28th minute.

Veikoso Poloniati started the match in the #4 jersey but it was replaced at halftime. In the second half he ran around with no number on his back.

Tomasi Alosio had previously played 19 matches for Wellington. Those matches were spread over two years: 2015 and 2021.

Maggie Cogger-Orr became the first female referee to control a match involving the Wellington Lions.

This match was designated as Club Day.

The Wellington Lions have played 528 NPC matches for 330 wins (62.5%), 186 losses and 12 draws.

Counties Manukau has played 442 NPC matches for 187 wins (42.3%), 241 losses and 14 draws.

They did not play at the top level for six years: between 1992 and 1993, and between 2002 and 2005.

The Lions will meet Tasman at Lansdowne Park in Blenheim in Round 6. The two sides have previously met on 16 occasions. The Lions have won seven matches and Tasman nine. They last played at Blenheim in 2024. It was a Ranfurly Shield challenge match and the hosts retained the Log o’ Wood with a 28-15 win.