Wellington celebrate a try for Julian Savea during the NPC Final. Photo / Photosport
Wellington 23
Bay of Plenty 20
Chants of “Wellyhoo, Wellyhoorah” will ring out in the capital after a dramatic, gripping final befitting this year’s captivating NPC season.
Wellington emerged from a knife-edge contest to be crowned champions in an emotive triumph over a gallant Bay of Plenty on Saturday afternoon.
These teams needed golden point extra-time to be separated during the regular season and that again proved the case in this finale, with 100 minutes required to determine the title.
Wellington’s sixth national title is their second in three years but only their fifth win in 14 finals after their success in 2022 broke a 22-year drought.
This title carries poignant significance for Wellington after Connor Garden-Bachop’s sudden death at age 25 from a medical event four months ago. His brother, Jackson, played his 100th game for Wellington in the final, the first player to do so since Tana Umaga. He and the Wellington team will treasure this tribute.
Veteran loose forward Brad Shields led from the front at crucial times for Wellington but replacement first five-eighth Callum Harkin proved the match-winner by striking a long-range 93rd-minute penalty after a huge scrum to break the deadlock.
From there, Wellington desperately clung on to their three-point lead.
Bay of Plenty, playing in their maiden final and seeking their first top-flight title in 45 years, since the inaugural NPC season in 1976, were left devastated after pushing Wellington to the brink.
While Wellington topped the regular season with two defeats, Bay of Plenty reached the final the hard way by coming through Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury in their playoff matches.
The Steamers, and their hearty group of travelling supporters, can be proud of an impressive season in which they left the mark and came oh so close.
Despite grim conditions in the capital, with heavy rain and gale-force winds making handling difficult, both teams brought the attacking intent they displayed throughout this year’s enthralling season.
Emotions and tension escalated through to the dramatic climax of this contest.
Bay of Plenty dominated the second half to overturn their 15-7 halftime deficit with patience paving the way for Emoni Narawa’s try and Kaleb Trask punishing penalties.
The Bay then showcased their defensive resilience to hold Wellington scoreless for half an hour.
In one of many late, pivotal moments with the match on the line Wellington, trailing 20-15, turned down a shot at goal with 10 minutes remaining and were rewarded with Losi Filipo crossing.
Garden-Bachop, returning from a two-week absence with a hamstring injury, missed the conversion and slipped while attempting a 50m penalty minutes later to leave the teams destined for extra time.
Wellington savoured the use of a familiar gale-force wind at their backs to build a half-time advantage but that margin should have been larger.
Former All Blacks wing Julian Savea turned back the clock to claim two powerful first-half tries on opposite sides of the field – his second featuring a trademark bump off on Nawara.
Garden-Bachop embraced the wind to control the first half through his influential boot.
While they were largely pinned in their half Bay of Plenty had success contesting the breakdown. Wellington halfback Kyle Preston pulled off a try-saving tackle on Leroy Carter to dislodge the ball from his grasp over the line but the Bay were not denied on a second occasion when loosehead prop Adian Ross lunged over.
Wellington had at least three further opportunities to strike but a wobbly lineout, with two lost throws and another error from the maul, proved costly to keep the Bay well within reach.
Former All Blacks hooker Hika Elliot, the 38-year-old on debut for Wellington, steadied the lineout in the second half but the Bay will rue their inability to convert more points after stealing the lead.
As with any tight, tense final. there were many ifs, buts and maybes.
Wellington, though, were the best team all year and once more proved their capacity to close out the defining moments.
Wellington: Julian Savea 2, Losi Filipo tries, Jackson Garden-Bachop con, pen, Callum Harkin pen
Bay of Plenty: Aidan Ross, Emoni Narawa try, Kaleb Trask con 2, pen 2
HT:15-7
Kurt Eklund is proud to call the Bay home.
The Steamers captain kickstarted his rugby career in Auckland and, after five years of playing for the Bay of Plenty Steamers, is this weekend captaining the team to their first NPC final since 1976.
Eklund picked up rugby at 8 and later played First XV for Auckland Grammar, but says he didn’t take the game too seriously.
“I got into my building trade and was just playing club rugby with my mates. Once I got qualified the Auckland coach at the time told me if I pulled my head in and stopped being an idiot, there could be a pathway for me in rugby.
“I had that in my back pocket, gave it a crack and started playing for Auckland for a few years, but nothing really came of it,” he says.
Eklund moved to Waihī in 2018 when his mum was diagnosed with cancer. In the same year, he blew his knee.
“I moved to Waihī to help look after Mum, I didn’t get a contract or anything and I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to play rugby again.
“Then my mum passed away, and that sort of put everything into perspective for me. It helped me change my mindset and where I was probably heading with my life in terms of rugby,” Eklund says.
The still injured Eklund called then-Steamers coach Clayton McMillan and came to Tauranga to sign a “pretty humble little contract.”
“I turned up to his office on crutches, couldn’t walk, but he gave me a lifeline and ever since then it has all sort of fallen into shape.”
Eklund’s first year with the Bay of Plenty Steamers was in 2019 and he says this is where he found his enjoyment for rugby again.
Eklund is now based in Mount Maunganui and has family nearby. He says playing in the Bay is like a homecoming.
“It was a pretty easy transition, this is where I see my home now and where I’ll move to once it’s all said and done. I love this place and it’s pretty cool to be able to call it home.
“The place we get to live in is unreal. I love the water, fishing and surfing, so to have that on our doorstep, we’re pretty lucky,” Eklund says.
He shared his love for the boys in the team and how they like to “vibe out” with music. Their pre-game track is Gold Dust by DJ Fresh.
“Everyone’s having fun and we’re all connected that way. We’re just out there doing our thing with good music.”
Eklund’s 15-minute pre-game routine includes playing the same three songs: Best Day Ever by Mac Miller, Feel the Love by Rudimental and Eternal by Shapeshifter.
“I can’t remember the last time I played a game without playing those three and it’s always 15 minutes out from game time.
“Music on, a bit of deep heat, strap my ears, put my boots on, a bit of pre-workout, then a big deep breath,” Eklund says.
Eklund has captained the team for three years and says he feels “privileged and proud to be able to do it.”
“We’ve got an awesome vibe, an awesome place with the people that we represent and there’s such a nice community feel down here so to be the leader of that is pretty awesome.”
Eklund says he has never wanted to win a game so badly.
“The coaching this year has been unreal, they’ve really known when to tighten the screws and when to pull back and work out our load.
“We’ve got some good experience with our core group that have been together for the last three/four years, and we’ve got a good bunch of young boys who bring a lot of enthusiasm and excitement to keep everything fresh.”
He says the team plays a good brand of rugby, with a lot of belief and trust to stick to their values throughout the season which had helped them get this far.
“We have really felt the love throughout the last few weeks, and I think Steamers rugby is in a really good place at the moment and it’s got a bright future.”
The Steamers play in the NPC final against Wellington on Saturday and, win or lose, Eklund says he and the team are thankful for the support they’ve had this year.
“Hopefully we can get it done for them and keep building on that.”
The capital celebrates after the Lions' NPC victory over the Steamers.