Du’Plessis Kirifi has had a huge season.
The Hurricanes loose forward's performance throughout the Super Rugby season has put his name well into consideration for the All Blacks.
He joined Piney ahead of their game against the Blues to discuss the season thus far, and the root of his growth.
“I focused on just being better and making better decisions.”
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Let's go to Super Rugby Blues Hurricanes Eden Park just
after seven tonight on Gold Sport and iHeartRadio.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
They picked it up from the bath right up, a little,
so and go. He's broken through.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
He's got crave on the inside, cav is away, Cave
Star thirty eight.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
He he loves it. Came right guard, welcome back. The
Canes are up by five.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
So know our nice work. Cross Bond on the commentary.
Hurricanes loose forward and co captain Duplessy Kalifi is with
us here on Weekend Sport. Thanks for joining us on
game day, dupless as you look to break out of
some early season inconsistency. How big a result has significant
A result and a performance was last weekend's big win
over the Waratars in Wellington.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
I think last week's game was. It's awesome. I guess
note to the coaching and work we'll be doing throughout
the week. So it was really nice to just see
things click in a sense with a little bit of
momentum following on from the Holander's winning the Bie week,
so you know, hopefully we can build on that again
this evening against the Blues.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
When you look back on the first four games of
the season, just the one win there, as you were
trying to work out, you know, what was going on,
were you able to put your finger on any specific
reasons for the slowish start.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Yeah, it's a good question, I think, you know, Yeah,
there is probably a few things that you could probably
I guess look towards. But I think just we've seen
in the Highlanders game a real trust in our system,
especially on defense, and I think that flowed on to
the to the Warrortars game, and you just saw the
(01:50):
boys playing with a real sense of connection, trusting each other,
trusting the plan, and you know that that held us
in good steads. So yeah, I would I would tend
to say it might be one of the one of
the big rocks that we kind of have looked to
fix that. Yeah, it's probably a few other things, just.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
On that defensive system and the trust in that system.
It's an interesting concept to me. So what does that
look like when there is full trust in a defensive system.
Is it basically knowing that that your teammates are going
to do what's required of them as long as you
do what's required of you.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Yeah, to put it as simply as possible, it's trusting
that just like you say, the guy next to he's
going to do his job, which means you won't see
boys go out of sad system or you know, try
to make things happen for the group. They just do
what is required of them in their particular moment, knowing
that someone else is going to do the same in
(02:51):
the next moment. So yeah, it's pretty much like that.
You know, we've got to put them boys on the field,
and you know, if we're not trusting each other and
boys are trying to step on each other's toes and
do do X y Z, and it's not going to help.
So yeah, that's kind of yeah, like you say, that's
how that's how it goes.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
The Hurricanes have probably the most stacked loose forward unit
in the whole comp is yourself, Bradon, You'll see Peterlarkeye,
Brad Shields. All of you have had at least one
game off the bench. Brandon and Peter have played in
different positions. How does that loose forward dynamic work During
the week as you prepare for the role that each
of you us asked to play in each game.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Yeah, we're really we're really blessed, I guess with the
talent and the not just the talent, but the work
ethic that we have within our lustrio. You know, we
were boys that we're at home, they haven't played yet,
that are challenging us every week. Johnie Halloeyla Patrick, reci
even Devin Flanders he's coming back from a broken ankle.
(03:54):
So you know, we're we're really lucky in their sense,
and the group works really well to get to figure
out what what the boys who are playing need and
we go after that. So yeah, it's a massive challenge.
I don't mb our coaches trying to pick the trio
each week because you know, any number of us could
start week in, week out. So I think as players
(04:16):
and as a group, our our focus is just to
put our best foot board and make that decision as
hard as possible for the coaches, and then once they
make the decision, just trust it they're making the decision
for the right reasons and work of that. And so
you know, testament to Brad, he was on the bench
last week and he's there again. But you would never
you would never tell if you were talking to him
(04:37):
throughout the week. Is nothing changes around his breath and
how he leads the group. He's fully supportive of the
three that are starting. And yeah, I just have an
extreme admiration for players like that who don't change whether
they're starting on the bench or not playing.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Yeah, total pro, that's for sure. When you review your
own performance as dupes, when you on a Monday or
whenever it is, review your own performance, what are the
metrics or the stats that you pay particular attention to.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
I'm not gonna lie party. I don't look at any steps.
I just look at whether I'm effective or not. So
an example of that is there's a ruck that I
need a claim. Have I done a good Am I
effective there and done exactly what we need in that moment?
You know, to produce good ball for a half back,
(05:31):
there's a tackle that needs to be made. Yeah, I
could make the tackle. In their counsels the tackle made,
but you know, is it an effective tackle? Is it
a dominant tackle? So yeah, just to shed a little
bit of a lot in your christian I don't really
look at steps because I don't think stets pay the
whole picture. I look at whether or not what I
(05:51):
did in the moment benefited our team in a positive way,
or if it put us on the big foot.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
So yeah, good answer. I do have a step. I
do have a step for you. Though you've you personally
have only conceded two penalties in six games this season.
Is that a part of the game that you have
specifically worked hard on? I mean, look, you and I've
spoken about this in the past. You know I used
to give up penalties. You know you don't give them
(06:17):
up very often at all. Now is it a work
on that you have specifically focused on.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
It is definitely a work on that I focused on,
But I haven't focused on not giving away penalties. I've
focused on just being better and making better decisions, and
the penalty count as the byproduct of that, I hope. Yeah,
it's something that I'm really really proud of. But it's
no like, yeah, I guess it's no biggie because at
(06:45):
the end of the day, there's all we want for
my players is to be reliable and not give away penalties.
So yeah, in a sense, I'm actually just doing my job.
So yeah, I think I've just yeah, I've just really
worked on my decision making and I think early on
in my career, especially you know, nineteen twenty twenty one,
a lot of those penalties were driven by ego me
(07:08):
thinking that I could get something that you know definitely
could not get, you know, like, and then we allude
back to the trust, which we talked about it at
the start of the interview. There wasn't a lot of
trust from me in the system, whereas now I don't
need to put myself out there in a compromised position
(07:30):
because I know that we might get the ball back
a few phases later or someone else is going to
do it in a better position. So yeah, it is
a it's a byproduct, I guess the penalty account of
just making better decisions and trusting everyone.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Well, it's part of your game, that is, that is
part of the whole game, which is turning a lot
aheads your performances this season. Most people are picking you
to make the All Blacks this year. Are you aware
of that noise?
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Yeah, you didn't. I guess the under a rock not
to see it and feel it. But I think I'm
mature enough now to not take any of it in
my stride, not you know, like, not let it affect me.
If they speak my week, I think my prep just
taking it at my stride. You, for example, plenty of
(08:19):
a lot of respect to you, so I always want
to give you my time. But I don't feel like,
you know, doing media is something that has a negative
effect on me. Yeah, it's just part of the job really,
and at the end of the day, it's not up
to me. It's not up to the media. Hopex the team.
It's after the big dogs. And you know, if I'm
(08:41):
in that picture of Soviet if I'm not, then all
I can do is play well for the Hurricanes. And
at the moment, you know, there's something I'm extremely passionate
about and so hopefully we can. Yeah, hopefully I'll put
my pace for forward for our team.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
You're certainly doing that. And last week you recommitted to
the Hurricanes and New Zealand Rugby through until the end
of twenty twenty seven. Like I'm sure you could have.
You could have earned a lot more money overseas. How
big was the lure of the of the black jersey
and your your love for this Hurricanes club and your
decision to stay.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Yeah, it was massive. I wouldn't say it was I
wouldn't say it was the whole piece of the luck.
It was the whole reason for me to stay. A
lot of the decision decision came around fulfillment leaving and
having a water kind of questions floating in the back
of my mind, feeling like I wasn't using my you know,
(09:40):
my best rugby years to their full extent. So yeah,
a lot, a lot of it actually was that there
were just just knowing that I had a little bit
more to gob or more to gurb and and things
I guess didn't pan out the way we wanted them to.
Then at least I know and within myself that I
gave him my order, and I can be at peace
(10:01):
that I sense.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
All right, let's circle back to tonight to finish the Blues,
just the one winning their six games against you actually,
even given that how threatening an opponent, do you expect
them to be there in part tonight?
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Oh? Massive least, there's no Yeah, there's no two ways
about it. They're having a you know, they'll be the
first to admit that they're having a rough season, but
that does not mean that on the night they can
they can't beat anyone. So we know that they're raigning
champs they got a lot of boys coming back from
injury this week and they're callingly side a lot of
(10:35):
a lot of experience in their group. So you know,
the challenge in front of us is one that we're
we're extremely aware of, one that we're really looking forward
to as well. And we know that last time down
and down in Wellington we probably didn't play to our
standards as well, So you know, extremely extremely excited to
(10:55):
be playing and we know that the Blues are going
to present a massive challenge for us.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Absolutely good on your thanks indeed for the chap made
all the best tonight. That's stupilicy coefy out of the Hurricanes,
Blues their opponent night.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk Set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Let's go to Super Rugby Blues Hurricanes Eden Park just
after seven tonight on Gold Sport and iHeartRadio.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
They picked it up from the bath right up, a little,
so and go. He's broken through.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
He's got crave on the inside, cav is away, Cave
Star thirty eight.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
He he loves it. Came right guard, welcome back. The
Canes are up by five.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
So know our nice work. Cross Bond on the commentary.
Hurricanes loose forward and co captain Duplessy Kalifi is with
us here on Weekend Sport. Thanks for joining us on
game day, dupless as you look to break out of
some early season inconsistency. How big a result has significant
A result and a performance was last weekend's big win
over the Waratars in Wellington.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
I think last week's game was. It's awesome. I guess
note to the coaching and work we'll be doing throughout
the week. So it was really nice to just see
things click in a sense with a little bit of
momentum following on from the Holander's winning the Bie week,
so you know, hopefully we can build on that again
this evening against the Blues.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
When you look back on the first four games of
the season, just the one win there, as you were
trying to work out, you know, what was going on,
were you able to put your finger on any specific
reasons for the slowish start.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Yeah, it's a good question, I think, you know, Yeah,
there is probably a few things that you could probably
I guess look towards. But I think just we've seen
in the Highlanders game a real trust in our system,
especially on defense, and I think that flowed on to
the to the Warrortars game, and you just saw the
(01:50):
boys playing with a real sense of connection, trusting each other,
trusting the plan, and you know that that held us
in good steads. So yeah, I would I would tend
to say it might be one of the one of
the big rocks that we kind of have looked to
fix that. Yeah, it's probably a few other things, just.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
On that defensive system and the trust in that system.
It's an interesting concept to me. So what does that
look like when there is full trust in a defensive system.
Is it basically knowing that that your teammates are going
to do what's required of them as long as you
do what's required of you.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Yeah, to put it as simply as possible, it's trusting
that just like you say, the guy next to he's
going to do his job, which means you won't see
boys go out of sad system or you know, try
to make things happen for the group. They just do
what is required of them in their particular moment, knowing
that someone else is going to do the same in
(02:51):
the next moment. So yeah, it's pretty much like that.
You know, we've got to put them boys on the field,
and you know, if we're not trusting each other and
boys are trying to step on each other's toes and
do do X y Z, and it's not going to help.
So yeah, that's kind of yeah, like you say, that's
how that's how it goes.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
The Hurricanes have probably the most stacked loose forward unit
in the whole comp is yourself, Bradon, You'll see Peterlarkeye,
Brad Shields. All of you have had at least one
game off the bench. Brandon and Peter have played in
different positions. How does that loose forward dynamic work During
the week as you prepare for the role that each
of you us asked to play in each game.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Yeah, we're really we're really blessed, I guess with the
talent and the not just the talent, but the work
ethic that we have within our lustrio. You know, we
were boys that we're at home, they haven't played yet,
that are challenging us every week. Johnie Halloeyla Patrick, reci
even Devin Flanders he's coming back from a broken ankle.
(03:54):
So you know, we're we're really lucky in their sense,
and the group works really well to get to figure
out what what the boys who are playing need and
we go after that. So yeah, it's a massive challenge.
I don't mb our coaches trying to pick the trio
each week because you know, any number of us could
start week in, week out. So I think as players
(04:16):
and as a group, our our focus is just to
put our best foot board and make that decision as
hard as possible for the coaches, and then once they
make the decision, just trust it they're making the decision
for the right reasons and work of that. And so
you know, testament to Brad, he was on the bench
last week and he's there again. But you would never
you would never tell if you were talking to him
(04:37):
throughout the week. Is nothing changes around his breath and
how he leads the group. He's fully supportive of the
three that are starting. And yeah, I just have an
extreme admiration for players like that who don't change whether
they're starting on the bench or not playing.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Yeah, total pro, that's for sure. When you review your
own performance as dupes, when you on a Monday or
whenever it is, review your own performance, what are the
metrics or the stats that you pay particular attention to.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
I'm not gonna lie party. I don't look at any steps.
I just look at whether I'm effective or not. So
an example of that is there's a ruck that I
need a claim. Have I done a good Am I
effective there and done exactly what we need in that moment?
You know, to produce good ball for a half back,
(05:31):
there's a tackle that needs to be made. Yeah, I
could make the tackle. In their counsels the tackle made,
but you know, is it an effective tackle? Is it
a dominant tackle? So yeah, just to shed a little
bit of a lot in your christian I don't really
look at steps because I don't think stets pay the
whole picture. I look at whether or not what I
(05:51):
did in the moment benefited our team in a positive way,
or if it put us on the big foot.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
So yeah, good answer. I do have a step. I
do have a step for you. Though you've you personally
have only conceded two penalties in six games this season.
Is that a part of the game that you have
specifically worked hard on? I mean, look, you and I've
spoken about this in the past. You know I used
to give up penalties. You know you don't give them
(06:17):
up very often at all. Now is it a work
on that you have specifically focused on.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
It is definitely a work on that I focused on,
But I haven't focused on not giving away penalties. I've
focused on just being better and making better decisions, and
the penalty count as the byproduct of that, I hope. Yeah,
it's something that I'm really really proud of. But it's
no like, yeah, I guess it's no biggie because at
(06:45):
the end of the day, there's all we want for
my players is to be reliable and not give away penalties.
So yeah, in a sense, I'm actually just doing my job.
So yeah, I think I've just yeah, I've just really
worked on my decision making and I think early on
in my career, especially you know, nineteen twenty twenty one,
a lot of those penalties were driven by ego me
(07:08):
thinking that I could get something that you know definitely
could not get, you know, like, and then we allude
back to the trust, which we talked about it at
the start of the interview. There wasn't a lot of
trust from me in the system, whereas now I don't
need to put myself out there in a compromised position
(07:30):
because I know that we might get the ball back
a few phases later or someone else is going to
do it in a better position. So yeah, it is
a it's a byproduct, I guess the penalty account of
just making better decisions and trusting everyone.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Well, it's part of your game, that is, that is
part of the whole game, which is turning a lot
aheads your performances this season. Most people are picking you
to make the All Blacks this year. Are you aware
of that noise?
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Yeah, you didn't. I guess the under a rock not
to see it and feel it. But I think I'm
mature enough now to not take any of it in
my stride, not you know, like, not let it affect me.
If they speak my week, I think my prep just
taking it at my stride. You, for example, plenty of
(08:19):
a lot of respect to you, so I always want
to give you my time. But I don't feel like,
you know, doing media is something that has a negative
effect on me. Yeah, it's just part of the job really,
and at the end of the day, it's not up
to me. It's not up to the media. Hopex the team.
It's after the big dogs. And you know, if I'm
(08:41):
in that picture of Soviet if I'm not, then all
I can do is play well for the Hurricanes. And
at the moment, you know, there's something I'm extremely passionate
about and so hopefully we can. Yeah, hopefully I'll put
my pace for forward for our team.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
You're certainly doing that. And last week you recommitted to
the Hurricanes and New Zealand Rugby through until the end
of twenty twenty seven. Like I'm sure you could have.
You could have earned a lot more money overseas. How
big was the lure of the of the black jersey
and your your love for this Hurricanes club and your
decision to stay.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Yeah, it was massive. I wouldn't say it was I
wouldn't say it was the whole piece of the luck.
It was the whole reason for me to stay. A
lot of the decision decision came around fulfillment leaving and
having a water kind of questions floating in the back
of my mind, feeling like I wasn't using my you know,
(09:40):
my best rugby years to their full extent. So yeah,
a lot, a lot of it actually was that there
were just just knowing that I had a little bit
more to gob or more to gurb and and things
I guess didn't pan out the way we wanted them to.
Then at least I know and within myself that I
gave him my order, and I can be at peace
(10:01):
that I sense.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
All right, let's circle back to tonight to finish the Blues,
just the one winning their six games against you actually,
even given that how threatening an opponent, do you expect
them to be there in part tonight?
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Oh? Massive least, there's no Yeah, there's no two ways
about it. They're having a you know, they'll be the
first to admit that they're having a rough season, but
that does not mean that on the night they can
they can't beat anyone. So we know that they're raigning
champs they got a lot of boys coming back from
injury this week and they're callingly side a lot of
(10:35):
a lot of experience in their group. So you know,
the challenge in front of us is one that we're
we're extremely aware of, one that we're really looking forward
to as well. And we know that last time down
and down in Wellington we probably didn't play to our
standards as well, So you know, extremely extremely excited to
(10:55):
be playing and we know that the Blues are going
to present a massive challenge for us.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Absolutely good on your thanks indeed for the chap made
all the best tonight. That's stupilicy coefy out of the Hurricanes,
Blues their opponent night.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk Set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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