Du'Plessis Kirifi: All Black debutant on making the squad to face France

"It's always an honour."

Du'Plessis Kirifi is among the five new names called up as part of the 35-man All Blacks squad set to face France - and he's feeling excited.

He joined Piney to discuss.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from news Talk zed Be.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
One of the five new faces in the squad name
today was Hurricanes loose forward and co captain Duplessi Kalifi,
who joins us now. Duplessly, huge, congratulations on this, Thanks
for joining us. When and how did you find out
that you'd been included and you're to become an All Black.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
Cheers for having me on poney Always a pleasure. I
got a call yesterday morning from Razor, Yeah, to congratulate
me or making the making the team, and I guess
the good year so far, but you know, as we
all know, that there's a lot of work to do
in front of us. Also looking forward to getting stuck
into the group.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
But I guess when you hung up from Razor there
were people you needed to tell. I think your partner
Mila might have been playing netball. I think I don't
know whether you're with you, your fano. Some nice phone
calls to make for you though, after that, I'm sure.

Speaker 3 (01:03):
Yeah, some very nice ones. Yeah, Accord melas away she's
getting ready for her game against the Tactics last night.
Then obviously that put a big smile on her face,
and then yeah, called whom and dad and a couple
of other family members and yeah, just all really special
special moments for us all. So, yeah, a lot of
proud people out there, not just for myself, but for

(01:24):
I guess everyone else that's named in the squad. You know,
it's you know, it's always an honor, whether it's your
first time or or fifteenth to be representing New Zealand
and ORBITZ.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
What does this day mean to you? Have you been
able to process it? Can you articulate what this day
means to you?

Speaker 1 (01:43):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (01:44):
It means everything, you know, Like my Jennie's probably a
little bit different to a lot of the young boys
who have been named as for the first time. I've
you know, I've been in and around the environment a
few times now, and you know, learned so much every
single time. And you know, bring with me all of
all of those experiences and all of the lessons and

(02:05):
all of the all of the challenges that have come
my way over the last you know, seven or eight years. Yeah,
and I know that in front of me there's still
so much more for me to learn. But I guess
today is just a really nice acknowledgment to the growth
and maturity I guess I've shown on and off the
field of the last two years.

Speaker 2 (02:24):
Did you feel as though you were in the mix?

Speaker 3 (02:28):
You can't ask me that, plenty, you can't ask me that.

Speaker 2 (02:34):
I'll rephrase yeah, yes, please, yes please. How happy were
you with your super rugby form this season?

Speaker 3 (02:41):
Yeah? I was very happy. That's it's it's always a
hard one. You're frustrated with I guess not achieving the
ultimate goal as a team, which is winning the whole thing.
And then but then, yeah, I guess to put that
to a side and just look at my own personal
growth throughout the season. Yeah, really happy with my game
and and where I got to Yeah, yeah, yeah, proud

(03:04):
of my season this year so far.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
As I often say, making the All Blacks is one thing. Now,
you want to play for the All Blacks and play
well for the All Blacks? How much you know how
much anticipation is there internally for you? And and and
what are your goals now over the next month or so.

Speaker 3 (03:20):
Yeah, you're naded on the head there. Yeah, Making it's
obviously one thing. But to be named to play and
in the right there and in the right to represent
New Zealand as another thing. So you're really looking forward
to getting stuck into the group and putting my best
foot forward as we all Also, yeah, I guess there's
there's more cool moments to come, hopefully, but you know

(03:41):
this is a this is a big step in the
right direction and a really proud moment for me and
my family.

Speaker 2 (03:46):
There certainly are many more wonderful moments to come to
So I know you're final, You're finally be blowing up.
So I better let you go and answer some messages, mate,
But a pleasure to chat to you, Delight to see
your name there today, look forward to seeing you in Dunedin.

Speaker 3 (03:58):
She's pony. I appreciate the support always, mate. It was
a pleasure.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
No great chatting to your gups and congratulations stiplistically if
you're one of the new faces, one of the new
name on the list today.

Speaker 1 (04:08):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it Be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.