Caleb Delany: Wellington Lions Captain on the upcoming Auckland clash, Du'Plessis Kirifi moving to number 12

Wellington's team to meet Auckland in round two of rugby's NPC saw the surprise move by loose forward Du'Plessis Kirifi to the backline.

Kirifi will start in the number 12 jersey in the wake of an availability crisis in the Lions midfield.

Adam Cooper was joined by skipper Caleb Delany who discussed the shock selection, and his new role as team captain.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's the perfect start to your Saturday.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
The All Sport Breakfast with Automak b WAD your premier
vehicle destination news talk.

Speaker 3 (00:08):
Send me ten to nine here on Wellington's All Sport Breakfast.
That's Round two this weekend of rugby's NPC. The Wellington
Lions tough first up, lost to Hawk's Bay at home
last weekend, so round two sees the Lions have the
trip up to Auckland. They're taking on the Auckland team
at Western Springs at that venue this afternoon at two o'clock.

(00:30):
Well Locke Caleb Delaney as the captain of the Wellington
Lions this year, having become a mainstay of both the
Canes and Lions over recent years. So to look ahead
today's game and assess how week one went, Caleb Delaney
is with us now morning to your CADEB. Firstly, bit, congratulations
on being named captain fort the Lions for twenty twenty six.
What does that meant to you?

Speaker 1 (00:51):
Yeah, obviously it's a massive honor and privilege. Yeah, I
guess not much changes for me. I think I still
lead through my action and if I get my game
right then that the other boys see that. But yeah,
I get to talk more trainings and rip the boys
up before you go out for the game. So yeah,
really looking forward to it this year. Yeah, it's a

(01:12):
mess of honor.

Speaker 3 (01:13):
You talk to some players leadership, they say it isn't
quite for them. Others sort of chase that through through
their career. They feel it's an aspect of their big
game that they can deliver on. Has it been something
that you've been eyeing up to play a bit more
of a senior role on these teams?

Speaker 1 (01:27):
Yeah, I think it definitely definitely happens sort of naturally
once you've been in the team a bit longer. Yeah.
I'm not the loudest guy, so yeah, try to lead
through my actions and yeah, I think I've got the
respect of all the boys, which is the main thing.
And yeah, just once we get on the field, I
think just talking more as well. So yeah, looking forward

(01:47):
to it.

Speaker 3 (01:48):
And I'm sure you probably thought this was going to
be my first question, but we'll bring it up now.
Dupless and Knife's move to the midfield as captain. Did
you have any prior conversations before that that decision was
made by the coaching, by yourselves.

Speaker 2 (02:01):
That'll play out in front of you.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
Now we hit our leaders meeting on the in the
morning and the coach showed us the team and fully
back and we didn't need him on the field and
wherever that is. Yeah, I'm pretty happy for him to
be out in the second five A. I think it's
we've got a good young seven there who's who's ready
to go, So giving him a start and then allowing

(02:27):
dupes to lead up those backs is Yeah, I think
it's going to be a great option for us.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
What do you think you'll bring to the twelve jersey?

Speaker 1 (02:34):
I think he'll be physical on defense, he can still
go for those jackals that we will know and love
them for, and he'll be a real leader in that
back line, I think other than Callum Harken. Last week
all the boys were club with club players, So another
leader out there would be awesome just for a voice
and leading the boys around there.

Speaker 3 (02:54):
And we'll make your job and the and the pack
slightly easier knowing you got him helping do some work
for you out there.

Speaker 1 (03:00):
Yeah, try and get him to pass the ball to us.
But yeah, it's going to be awesome having him out there.
And yeah, I'll lead the.

Speaker 3 (03:06):
Forwards round nice and you talk about the leadership group.
I mean, obviously there were probably most people in Wellington
didn't think that Doupes would even be here for the MPC,
but here he is. I for you, as a new
captain for the team in general, you know, how beneficial
is it for the team having him here, even though
it might have been unexpected.

Speaker 1 (03:26):
Yeah, it's awesome. He's leading the way he normally does,
teaching me a few things around captain c and yeah,
it's just it's obviously awesome having him here. It's not
the result he wanted, and yeah, obviously we all thought
he might be going as well, but it is what
it is, and we're getting the best.

Speaker 3 (03:43):
Run overall against Hawk's Bay who I mean many after
that game, you know, very impressed was with what the
Magpie is brought to Round one last weekend and Wellington.
How have you sort of assessed that from an overall
sense with a knife for the trip up to Aukland
this week.

Speaker 1 (03:59):
Yeah, there was a few things go wrong there. Connection
on defense, I think we need to be a lot
better and just on our attack, just getting more physical
around the breakdown and getting the ball out wide of
it better. I think we've got a good plan this week.
We've changed up a few things and I think you
would see a different, different lines team come out this weekend. Yeah,

(04:21):
all the boys are looking forward to it. A couple
more debuts, so yeah, plenty to play for.

Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah, and I know you guys you see it.

Speaker 3 (04:27):
But on social media now it's cool to get the
insights into how you guys celebrate those those debuts and
those milestones. I guess historically behind closed doors, but it
is pretty special, I guess those of us on the
outside getting the chance to see that, and it's very
much a part that looks like you guys welcome those
those new players with a lot of aura and a
lot of mone are into the jersey.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
Yeah, definitely, it's the jersey demands a lot, and to
get a debut is a dream dream for a lot
of boys. So yeah, for them, I guess it's just
about leaving it in a better place than when they
first kip the jersey. So yeah, we celebrate it after
every game and they get to do a speech and
all that. But yeah, if you follow the social media,
you'll know yeah about that exactly.

Speaker 3 (05:10):
And Auckland's I mean, sometimes they turn up with a
good squad some years they that they struggle a little bit.
What are you expecting from them?

Speaker 1 (05:18):
Yeah, every year is a bit different. I think we
had the edge over them last year, so we know
they're going to be physical, physical, They're going to try
to come through the through the fun of us. So
for us, just matching that on the fence and just
getting our stuff right. I think I'm having every us
focus when we're on where we can be the best
in the compace week if we choose that. So yeah,

(05:39):
it's just about nailing our detail.

Speaker 3 (05:42):
Brilliant Caleb. Hey, will always appreciate your time here on
News Talks. They've been make congratulations on that that captaincy
role for for twenty twenty six and go well for
this weekend mate, Thanks for chatting.

Speaker 1 (05:51):
Awesome chat.

Speaker 3 (05:52):
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