NPC Number Crunching: Wellington Lions v Tasman Mako

Du’Plessis Kirifi running freely in a previous match, with Divad Palu in support.  Kirifi has now scored 18 tries in 74 appearances for the Lions. He had not previously scored one against Tasman.

The Stat Attack by compiled by Peter Marriott continues for this year’s 50^th National Provincial Championship competition. The sixth one from Saturday’s defeat by the Wellington Lions to the Tasman Mako.

Round 6 v Tasman: Lost 28-42

After six rounds of the 2026 Hilux NPC the Wellington Lions are still winless and are in danger of emulating their worst-ever start to a season: the nine they lost on the trot at the beginning of 2014.

The Lions had failed to win their last match of 2013 which meant they had lost 10 in a row before they eventually won their final match of 2014.

That record of 10 losses in succession is now under threat too due to the Lions losing their final two matches last year.

Another unwanted new record could well occur in the Lions next away match.

They have lost their last seven matches away from home (the last four in 2025 and all three this year), to equal their worst run of seven in a row: the last four in 1991 and first three in 1992.

The Wellington Lions record in all away matches is: played 261, won 138 (52.9%), lost 115 and drawn eight.

The Lions scored 14 points in the second half against Tasman: the third match in a row this season they have scored that number of points.

The Lions and the Tasman Mako have now met on 17 occasions. Tasman has the upper hand with 10 wins to the Lions seven. Tasman has won the last two encounters.

The two sides did not meet in 2025.

In the 17 matches the two sides have accumulated exactly 100 tries between them: Tasman 56 and Wellington 44.

The Lions four tries in this match are the most they have scored since scoring five at Blenheim in 2017.

Tasman has hosted the Lions eight times winning on six occasions. Six of those matches have been played at Blenheim and two in Nelson. The Lions two victories were in 2009 (at Blenheim) and 2022 (at Nelson).

The Lions made five changes to their starting XV from the one which started the previous match against

Counties Manukau. Three of those changes were in the backs and two in the forwards.

At the end of Round 6 the Lions have remained at the bottom of the Standings in 14th place.

Divad Palu scored his third try in his sixth match. Palu has started five of his six matches in this his debut season and in this match he started, for the first time, in the #14 jersey. He had previously worn the #12 and #13 jerseys two times each.

Dominic Ropeti’s try was his 10th in 36 matches for the Lions. It was his first against Tasman.

The fourth try scorer, Logan Henry, now has two tries to his name, in eight matches.

Callum Harkin missed none of his four conversion attempts and his eight points took his total in 23 matches to 89. Harkin was issued with a yellow card in the 57th minute, his second of the season and third for the Lions in 2026.

Kaleb Saxon made his Lions debut when he replaced Penieli Poasa off the bench with nine minutes           remaining in the match. A total of 32 players have been used this season including 15 debutants.

Only two Lions players have been on the field for every minute of the six matches played so far: Captain Caleb Delany and Cameron Burgess (480 minutes).

Tasman scored six tries, just one short of their record seven scored at Blenheim in 2019.

Captain Johnny Lee, Maloni Kunawave and Macca Springer all scored for the first time against the Lions.

David Havili had previously crossed the line against the Lions on two occasions, both in 2019. The first time was during the regular season and the second in the Final that year.

Kyren Taumoefolau scored his second try against Wellington. The first was, also at Blenheim, in 2024.

William Havili kicked six points to go with the 12 points he scored at Nelson in 2022. He has yet to miss an attempt at goal (seven from seven) against the Lions.

Cooper Grant took over from William Havili and landed all of his three conversion attempts.

Jackson Henshaw controlled his second match which involved the Lions. His first was back in 2023.

Tasman, who came late to the National Provincial Championship in 2006, have played 230 matches for 128 wins (55.7%), 99 losses and three draws.

The Wellington Lions have played 529 NPC matches for 330 wins (62.4%), 187 losses and 12 draws.

The Lions are due to meet Canterbury in Christchurch this coming Saturday, for the first time at the new One New Zealand Stadium.

The two sides have previously met 57 times (the Lions have played Canterbury more often than they have any other side) and are slightly ahead in terms of wins, 28 to 27. There have been two drawn matches.

The Lions lost last year’s match (15-33) at Jerry Collins Stadium in Porirua but have won their last three away matches against Canterbury.