All Blacks greats urge Scott Robertson to pick ‘relentless’ candidate to fill Sam Cane void
Hurricanes flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi and All Blacks legend Jeff Wilson. (Photo credit: James Foy/Speed Media AU/Iconsportswire)
After four rounds of Super Rugby Pacific action, Hurricanes co-captain Du’Plessis Kirifi has emerged as a potential bolter for All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson’s squad later this year.
Former All Blacks openside flanker and captain Sam Cane retired from Test rugby at the end of 2024 which means that Robertson will have to select a new player to wear the famous black number seven jersey and apart from Kirifi, the likes of Ardie Savea, Ethan Blackadder and Dalton Papali’i will also be the running to slot into that position.
Although the Hurricanes are currently languishing at the bottom of the Super Rugby Pacific standings, Kirifi has caught the eye with several outstanding performances for the Wellington-based franchise.
The 28-year-old was part of the All Blacks XV squad for their tour to Europe last November and captained the side in their victories against Munster and Georgia.
He is yet to represent New Zealand at Test level although he was called up to former All Blacks head coach Ian Foster’s Rugby Championship squad in 2020 while Savea was on paternity leave.
Shone off the bench for Hurricanes
Kirifi was on the Hurricanes’ bench at the weekend in their defeat against Moana Pasifika and although his side suffered a 40-31 loss, he impressed with a superb all-round performance during the game’s final 30 minutes.
Legendary All Blacks outside back Jeff Wilson believes that Kirifi should be rewarded with a call-up to current All Blacks boss Robertson’s squad for their upcoming three-Test series against France in New Zealand in July.
“Du’Plessis is relentless. If you watch him play, he’s a very good athlete,” he said on The Breakdown. “I think he’s got a massive engine, and on the other side of it, he doesn’t plod his way around the field.
“He continues to fight and scrap every opportunity he gets at a breakdown.
“So when I think of him, I see a guy who can carry, he can do that, he can carry the ball, he doesn’t slow down. The impact he had on Saturday night was huge in the last 20 minutes when he came on the pitch.
‘Kirifi has matured over the last four years’
“For me, Kirifi has matured over the last four years.”
Wilson feels the All Blacks’ back-row can improve in the defensive aspects of the game and said Kirifi has the attributes to do just that.
“All of a sudden, we’re now conceding one more try, 24 points, and we’re only scoring 22, the conceding points is the concern for me,” he said. “We were the best defensive team and the best counter-attacking team for a long time.
“We put pressure on the opposition, now I think with our loose forwards, that’s where we need to get our competitive advantage together.
“They set the tone defensively because they have to defend in the most difficult channels, usually three or four out in a ruck or off a set-piece, at the tail of a lineout or the edge of a scrum.”
Meanwhile, Savea, who was the All Blacks’ first choice number eight last season, has also impressed on the openside flank for Moana in recent matches and another All Blacks great, former full-back Mils Muliania, feels Robertson should select both Savea and Kirifi as part of his loose trio.
“If I was picking the All Blacks today, Kirifi would be in the seven today. If you’re going to pick Ardie at eight, I think you go with Kirifi,” he said.
“If it was me picking your All Blacks, he’s in the squad.”
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