Jumping in unison: Taine Plumtree and Naitoa Ah Kuoi

“Finals are a different beast, Wellington College lock/No.8 Naitoa Ah Kuoi responds when asked to contrast a regular season fixture with a decider.

"They are harder, faster and won by the team who handles the extra pressure best. Prior reputation counts for nothing."

The 2016 New Zealand Barbarians representative has experienced the despair of defeat and the adulation of success in finals.

In 2015, Ah Kuoi was reduced to tears when Nelson College beat Wellington College 3-6 in the annual quadrangular finale. It was the first time since 2002 Wellington had relinquished that title. Last year Ah Koi helped Wellington win the Premier I crown for the 13th time. A last play Reece Plumtree penalty propelled Wellington to a 12-9 triumph.

Reece’s younger brother Taine Plumtree has been Ah Kuoi’s locking partner at Wellington College for two years and concurs with Ah Kuoi’s summation of finals footy.

“In last year’s final I damaged the meniscus in my knee when I was jolted in a tackle. It hurt, but I wanted to leave everything out on the field. There are no second chances,” Plumtree, who missed two months this season following surgery on the injury, asserts.

Ah Kuoi is no stranger to pain either. He will have hip surgery in the off season which will keep him sidelined from any rugby for six months. Ah Kuoi has suffered intolerably at times in 2017.

“It’s tough playing with hips that aren’t 100 percent, but I have managed. I take a couple of Panadol’s before each game and that helps ease the pain. Sometimes I have felt like vomiting, but that’s rare. I got hit hard a couple of times in the Silverstream traditional, but you expect that. You have to bring it physically,” Ah Kuoi states.

Wellington didn’t ‘bring it’ earlier in the season, embarrassed 50-10 by Super 8 champions Hastings Boys’ High School and subdued by Francis Douglas Memorial College - a fifth place finisher in the relatively weak Central North Island competition. Additionally Wellington was pipped at home by Scots College, 14-13.

Silverstream will certainly “bring it” against Wellington. The Mick Williment Trophy holders have won 15 games on the trot heading into the climax and held  Wellington tryless in the Ken Gray Memorial Trophy encounter for the first time since 2008. Plumtree is respectful of the Catholics.

“They are a tough side with few weaknesses. Their backs are particularly dangerous, but we showed against Scots last Saturday we can stop good back lines.”

Wellington will certainly attempt to use their lineout to threaten Silverstream. Both Plumtree and Ah Kuoi were starters for the Hurricanes Under-18’s who beat the Crusaders equivalent 25-10 on July 15.

Does Wellington have any other weapons in their arsenal? Silverstream have scored an average of 59 points a game this season compared with Wellington’s 30.

“Absolutely. Ish Perkins is back at first-five and he has improved our backline. We have been working hard and getting better in every game, There is a real good feeling in the camp,” Ah Kuoi insists.

Goal kicking could be vital and Wellington has lacked accuracy off the tee. Josh Morgan-Rauni and Oliver Paotonu have shared duties, but Plumtree has recently emerged as an option too.

“I learned to kick helping my brother Reece retrieve the ball when he would practice. In one game Olly missed four shots in a row so I decided to take over. I have kicked eight goals this season and most of them are from the corner.” Plumtree laughs.

Ah Kuoi is quick to remind Reece of the “sitter” he missed against Hutt Valley High School and has volunteered his services as a fourth choice. Given Ah Koi was a National age group water polo and Aussie Rules rep it’s not completely unfathomable to imagine Ah Koi could land a few goals.

The friendly banter between the pair may not exist in 2018. Ah Kuoi is headed to Marist St. Pat’s while Plumtree is Old Boys University bound.

The immediate priority for both boys, however, is the WelTec Premiership final which kicks off on Sunday at 2:40pm. The game is being broadcast on live radio via the o Te Upoko O Te Ika website.

Wellington College in Finals:

The Premier I grade started in 1979 and was won in the first season by Wellington College who repeated that success in 1988. The grand final wasn’t introduced until 1993 and the inaugural fixture was a 20-20 draw between Bishop Viard College and Hutt Valley High School.

Wellington College have won finals in 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2016. Perhaps the most memorable was in 2009 when they beat Silverstream by a record score of 43-7. Future All Blacks Lima Sopoaga and Jeff Toomaga-Allen were in imperious form that night at Jerry Collins Stadium.

Wellington have lost four finals in 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2012. The 2000, 2003 and 2012 matches were all at the Hutt Rec. The 2001 final was the only one of those games in Porirua. Matt Time (later to win a Jubilee Cup with Hutt Marist) scored two tries for St. Bernard’s in their 17-10 win.

In 2000 Silverstream beat Wellington under lights 8-6 and in 2012 prevailed 6-5, despite compelling video evidence suggesting NZ Schools prop Eti Sului had scored two tries for Wellington whose cause wasn’t helped by future Bay Of Plenty halfback Luke Campbell who missed four kicks at goal.