NPC Final Result: Wellington defeats Bay of Plenty in overtime to win the title

Wellington’s sixth national title is their second in three years but only their fifth victory in 14 finals after their success in 2022 broke a 22-year drought.

This title has poignant significance for Wellington after Connor Garden-Bachop died suddenly from a medical event four months ago at the age of 25. 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 honor this tribute.

Experienced loose forward Brad Shields led from the front at crucial moments for Wellington, but substitute first five-eighth Callum Harkin proved the match-winner by scoring a long-range penalty after a massive 93rd-minute scrum and thus the impasse broke.

From then on, Wellington desperately clung to their three-point lead.

Bay of Plenty, playing in its first final and aiming for its first top-flight title in 45 years since the first NPC season in 1976, were devastated after pushing Wellington to the brink.

While Wellington led the regular season with two losses, Bay of Plenty reached the final the hard way, beating Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury in their playoff games.

The Steamers and their energetic band of traveling fans can be proud of an impressive season in which they left their mark and came so close to the game.

Despite the difficult conditions in the capital, where heavy rain and stormy winds made handling difficult, both teams showed their offensive power in this year’s exciting season.

Emotions and tension escalated to the dramatic climax of this competition.

Bay of Plenty dominated the second half and erased their 15-7 half-time deficit with patience paving the way for Emoni Narawa’s try and Kaleb Trask’s penalty.

The Bay then showed their defensive resilience, holding Wellington scoreless for half an hour.

In one of many late, crucial moments when the game was still on the line, Wellington saved a shot on goal with 10 minutes left to make it 20-15 and was rewarded with a cross from Losi Filipo.

Garden-Bachop, returning after a two-week absence with a hamstring injury, missed the conversion and slipped while attempting a 50-yard penalty minutes later, sending the teams into extra time.

Wellington enjoyed using the familiar blustery wind at their backs to gain a half-time advantage, but that advantage should have been larger.

Former All Blacks winger Julian Savea turned back the clock, scoring two powerful tries on opposite sides of the pitch in the first half – his second involving a trademark kick-off to Nawara.

Garden-Bachop took advantage of the wind and controlled the first half with his influential boot.

While they were mostly stuck in their half, Bay of Plenty had success fighting the collapse. Wellington centre-back Kyle Preston made a try-saving tackle from Leroy Carter to wrestle the ball away from him over the line, but the Bay could not be repelled a second time when loosehead prop Adian Ross leapt over the line.

Wellington had at least three more opportunities to attack, but a shaky starting position with two lost throws and another batting error proved costly in keeping the Bay within reach.

Former All Blacks player Hika Elliot, the 38-year-old making his debut for Wellington, steadied the line-up in the second half but the Bay will rue that they were unable to score further points after losing the lead.

As with every close, exciting finale. There were lots of ifs, buts and maybes.

However, Wellington were the best team all year and once again demonstrated their ability to finish in crucial 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 with 2, penalty 2

HT:15-7

“Hopefully we can do it”: The Steamers captain prepares for the NPC finale

Kurt Eklund is proud to call the bay his home.

The Steamers captain started his rugby career in Auckland and, after playing for the Bay of Plenty Steamers for five years, is leading the team to their first NPC final since 1976 this weekend.

Eklund started rugby at age 8 and later played First XV for Auckland Grammar, but says he didn’t take the game too seriously.

“I got into my construction business and was just playing club rugby with my friends. When I qualified the then Auckland coach told me there could be a path for me in rugby if I tried hard and stopped being an idiot.

“I had that in my back pocket, tried it out 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 mother was diagnosed with cancer. In the same year he injured his knee.

“I moved to Waihī to look after my mother. I didn’t get a contract or anything and I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to play rugby again.

“Then my mother died, and that kind of put everything in perspective for me. It helped me change my mindset and change the direction my life is likely to take in terms of rugby,” says Eklund.

The still injured Eklund called then Steamers coach Clayton McMillan and came to Tauranga to sign a “pretty modest little contract”.

“I came to his office on crutches and couldn’t walk, but he gave me a lifeline and everything has been kind of OK since then.”

Eklund’s first year with the Bay of Plenty Steamers was 2019 and he says it was here that he found his joy in rugby again.

Eklund now lives in Mount Maunganui and has family nearby. He says playing in the Bay is like coming home.

“The transition was pretty easy. This is where I see my home now and where I will move when everything is said and done. I love this place and it’s pretty cool to be able to call it home.

“The place where we are allowed to live is unreal. I love the water, fishing and surfing, so we’re very lucky to have that right on our doorstep,” says Eklund.

He shared his love for the boys on the team and how they like to “go wild” with music. Your pre-game track is Gold dust by DJ Fresh.

“Everyone is having fun and we are all so connected. We’re just out there doing our thing with good music.”

Eklund’s 15-minute pregame routine includes playing the same three songs: Best day ever by Mac Miller, Feel the love from Rudimental and Forever by Shapeshifter.

“I can’t remember the last time I played a game without those three, and it’s always 15 minutes before the game starts.

“Put some music on, a little bit of deep heat, strap my ears in, put my boots on, a little bit of pre-workout, then a big, deep breath,” Eklund says.

Eklund has been captain of the team for three years and says he feels “privileged and proud to be able to do this.”

“We have a great atmosphere, a great place with the people we represent and there’s such a nice sense of community down here that it’s pretty awesome to be the leader of that.”

Eklund says he has never wanted to win a game so badly.

“The coaching this year was unreal, they really knew when to tighten the screws and when to step back and work our load.

“We have had some good experiences with our core group who have been together for three to four years and we have a good group of young people 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 confidence in sticking to their values ​​throughout the season, which has helped them get this far.

“We have really felt the love over the last few weeks and I think Steamers Rugby is in a really good place at the moment and has a bright future.”

The Steamers play Wellington in the NPC final on Saturday and Eklund says that regardless of win or loss, he and the team are grateful for the support they have received this year.

“Hopefully we can get it done for them and continue to build on it.”