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All Blacks duo provide timely boost for Wellington ahead of blockbuster Ranfurly Shield challenge
Stephen Foote • September 12th, 2024 3:14 pm
Tasman's historic Ranfurly Shield win has been the talk of the provincial rugby scene this week and rightly so, after a nail-biting finish in Napier capped one of the most memorable successful challenges in recent history.
But with celebrations drawing to a close, the hungry Wellington Lions are out to ensure the Mako reign is a brief one, travelling across the Cook Strait to try and bring the Log o' Wood back from Blenheim to the capital on Sunday.
Providing a huge boost to their cause is the availability of linchpins Billy Proctor and Ruben Love, who have been released from All Blacks camp to join the Wellingtonian cause.
Those fresh legs will be critical to the Lions, who are backing up on three days’ notice after their win over Otago on Wednesday night amid the infamous 'Storm Week'.
"They've come in at the right time," Wellington coach Alando Soakai told SENZ's Scotty & Izzy.
With his starting XV humming, Soakai admits it's a situation that can lead to some difficult conversations.
"You've got to be very upfront with some of these players, because obviously you have the senior boys who have been around now.
"These boys have an upfront approach around where they stand and where they sit, so it's about planning in terms of 'hey, we'll look at resting you in this game and then come back for this game'.
"These guys know the game, but it's just about being really clear with these senior boys because you've got to look after them, and then it's about when they're not playing, what they can still add to the environment.
"Guys like (Julian) Savea and Brad (Shields) have been awesome at that. We're just fortunate we have a good group of them."
A showdown between the NPC's only two unbeaten sides, the match promises to be another spectacle. Lansdowne Park is expected to be full to the brim of the 'Finz Up' faithful come kick-off, which is at the vintage time of 2:05pm.
Wellington last held the Shield in 2022, making seven successful defences before Hawke's Bay captured it in September 2023.
Soakai is priming his squad for a Mako side firing on all cylinders, a team desperate to ensure their Shield tenure is more than merely a flash in the pan. They'll also receive a boost from the All Blacks camp, with midfield stalwart David Havili freed up to play.
"They're playing some really good footy this year. Compared to last year, their setpiece is really functioning at the moment. They've built up a lot of pride around that.
"It's a well-balanced team and I think it's going to be an exciting game. We've got two teams that pride themselves in those areas and both teams can throw the ball around.
"We're excited for the challenge."
Having been promoted from assistant, Soakai is savouring a challenge of his own as a first-year head coach.
The former Otago and Highlanders mainstay hung up his boots in 2016, testing the waters during his lengthy 12-year stint in Japan with Kubota Spears as both a player and coach.
He immediately made the transition into full-time coaching, with his journey leading him to the capital, where he's taken the reins from now All Blacks assistant Tamati Ellison.
"I'm loving it," Soakai said.
"I'm fortunate to have come into a really good environment and my challenge is how to keep growing that.
"You've got a group of guys that you want to galvanise to a common goal. It's not often you find a job like that and that excites me.
"Going in every day, it's about viewing where can we get better and what's the mindset."
Listen to the full interview below:
