Lions Named for Saturday’s Quarter-Final Clash with Hawke’s Bay

Wellington Lions Head Coach, Leo Crowley, has named his 23 for the Lions Bunnings Warehouse NPC Quarter Final clash with Hawke’s Bay this Saturday, 2:05pm at Sky Stadium. 

The Lions will be looking to progress to the Semi-Finals with an eighth-straight win, with just two changes to the side that took the Ranfurly Shield from Hawke’s Bay in Round 7.  

In the front row, Tawa’s PJ Sheck will join forces with loosehead, Xavier Numia and hooker, Asafo Aumua. With hooker James O’Reilly unavailable for selection due to a calf muscle injury, Petone’s Josh Southall will get his first opportunity to make his Lions debut off the bench. 

“Josh has been in and around the group for a couple of years now, and with O’Reilly out of action this weekend, he gets his chance to make his long-awaited debut for the Lions. It’s an exciting time for Josh,” said Crowley. 

Jackson Garden-Bachop will start at first five-eighth with Aidan Morgan looking to provide impact off the bench. 

“Jackson showed last week that he can really set our attack game alight and play the game in the right areas of the field, so he gets the start this week and we will look to him to control the game for us. Both him and Aidan have played well over the last month and are a big reason why we are having a home Quarter-Final,” said Crowley.  

Garden-Bachop has kicked the most conversions of any kicker in the past three decades [since 1990] of top-flight NPC rugby. His fourth conversion against Counties Manukau last Sunday was his 182nd for Wellington, surpassing the 181 that former Poneke first-five David Holwell kicked in his combined career for Wellington and Northland.  

With Riley Higgins unavailable for selection due to a knee injury, a fit Peter Umaga-Jensen returns to the midfield after injury had him ruled out for the past few weeks.  

Head Coach Leo Crowley said: “We’ve picked the team that we think can go out there and get the job done for us. We realise it’s going to be a very tough game, with Hawke’s Bay sure to be up for the occasion. Hopefully a passionate home crowd can get in behind the team and lift us over the line so we can bank a home Semi-Final next weekend.”  

The Wellington Lions take on Hawke’s Bay in the Bunnings Warehouse NPC Quarter Final, this Saturday, October 8 at 2:05PM. Tickets available from https://wellingtonlions.flicket.co.nz/ 

The match will be aired live on Sky Sport. 

Wellington Lions to take on Hawke’s Bay: 

1. Xavier Numia, Oriental-Rongotai 
2. Asafo Aumua, Avalon 
3. PJ Sheck, Tawa 
4. James Blackwell, Petone 
5. Dom Bird, Upper Hutt RAMS 
6. Caleb Delany, Old Boys University 
7. Du’Plessis Kirifi, Northern United (C) 
8. Peter Lakai, Petone 
9. TJ Perenara, Northern United 
10. Jackson Garden-Bachop, Northern United 
11. Pepesana Patafilo, Tawa 
12. Peter Umaga-Jensen, Wainuiomata 
13. Billy Proctor, Marist St Pats 
14. Julian Savea, Oriental-Rongotai 
15. Ruben Love, Wainuiomata 

IMPACT 

16. Josh Southall, Petone 
17. Solomona Sakalia, Northern United 
18. Tietie Tuimauga, Marist St Pats 
19. Taine Plumtree, Old Boys University  
20. Keelan Whitman, Marist St Pats 
21. Richard Judd, Paremata-Plimmerton 
22. Aidan Morgan, Marist St Pats 
23. Connor Garden-Bachop, Northern United 

Unavailable for Selection: Vince Sakaria, Connor Collins, Iona Apineru, Josh Toómaga, Siale Lauaki, Pekahou Cowan, Riley Higgins