All Blacks v France: Du’Plessis Kirifi, his mother’s tears and his ‘massive’ decision to turn down Japan millions
Saturday, 12 July 2025
It was one of the enduring images from Dunedin a week ago: Du’Plessis Kirifi’s mother, Donna, sobbing into her hands as her son was interviewed by Sky TV in his blood-stained debut test jersey.
The All Blacks flanker had climbed into the stands to embrace his mother, and father Jack, a stalwart of Taranaki rugby, after realising his All Blacks dream at age 28. The tears of joy after a group hug signified how much it all meant to the Kirifi family.
Even more so when the combative openside flanker recounts agonising over a monstrous offer to play in Japan, around the time of the Hurricanes’ win over Fijian Drua in Napier in February. As Kirifi puts it, the chance to “just cash in”.
“Dad was keen for me to go! There was a lot of money on the table, and a huge decision. Mind versus heart, really. On one hand you set yourself and your family up for life, and on the other it was based around fulfilment and unanswered questions and a real hunger to leave it all out there, here in New Zealand,” Kirifi told The Post this week.
“In deciding to stay I knew I’d have to fully commit to the decision and make it work. Whether or not I ended up in the All Blacks wasn’t the be all and end all; it was more around when I leave, I want to leave knowing I’ve done everything I possibly can, or could have done, to earn the jersey.
“That was the catalyst for the rest of the season. There was no going back after that.”
Needless to say, Kirifi slept soundly after a victorious debut off the bench against France when he played the last half-hour and helped close out a 31-27 win. But having finally arrived on the test rugby scene, he was eager to move on from the fuss and attention of his call-up and debut, get back to work and start stringing the tests together, the second in his adopted home city on Saturday.
There were two souvenirs from that Dunedin debut: his jersey with the bloodstained collar which Kirifi will get framed and gift to his father - “I’m sure there’s a spot for it in the hall” - and a freshly stitched right ear.
Kirifi pulls down his ear to reveal the neat line of stitches which will require tape around his head to protect the wound. The same injury was more serious before the Hurricanes’ playoff defeat to the Brumbies when Kirifi wore a waterpolo cup on his ear, and white headgear over the top. Tape will suffice this time, he said.
Wellington is home to Kirifi and his fiancee, Silver Ferns netballer Mila Reuleu-Buchanan, based in Auckland when playing for the Stars and who missed his debut for her own sporting commitments. She will be there on Saturday night, the pair having become the latest double sporting international couple.
“I’ve been trying to catch up to Mila for a long time … we acknowledged that the other night, it will be pretty cool to talk to our kids in the future about what mum and dad did when we were younger.”
A proud Taranaki lad who was a ball boy for the All Blacks’ New Plymouth test against Ireland in 2010 - when Sam Whitelock, Aaron Cruden and Israel Dagg were among the debutants - Kirifi was lured to the capital by Jordie Barrett, his former Francis Douglas Memorial College first XV team-mate, when a dabble with Waikato wasn’t working out.
Kirifi never looked back and made his Hurricanes debut off the bench against the Waratahs in Sydney in 2019, scoring the winning try. The starting openside that day? Ardie Savea, who switched to No 8 to accommodate Kirifi’s arrival as he did a week ago in Dunedin.
“It was pretty cool, a dream come true for so many reasons… first test, long journey, being able to do it alongside lifelong friends of mine who’ve been there a long time, Jordie, Ardie, even the new boys, Billy (Proctor), boys that I spend every day outside this environment with. Special as to be able to run out with them.
“… Another game will be another dream come true, to be at home in front of family and friends in Wellington. It’s massively important just to keep growing and keep getting better, not just as a player and as a team.
“We all watched the game and we know there’s areas we can all improve on. Personally I’ll be looking to do my job again, and just continue to have a positive impact on the team and do nothing that brings pressure back onto the group.”
The All Blacks’ record in the capital is poor, with two wins from their last eight tests there, but Kirifi won’t hear a bad word about the stadium. Last year he led the Wellington Lions to victory over Bay of Plenty in a rain-drenched NPC final there, a few months after the table-topping Hurricanes were beaten by the Chiefs in the semifinals.
“I love playing there. It can be tricky there sometimes with the weather and all sorts of other things. I’ve got a lot of fond memories there and really carved my professional career out on that field. I’ve been successful with the Wellington Lions and had many highlights with the Hurricanes.
“Obviously still chasing a (Super Rugby) championship there, but it’s my home field so to be able to play there alongside this group and represent New Zealand there is something special. And really looking forward to seeing not as many yellow seats as normal (the ground is sold out).”
With Kirifi’s family, fiancee, and friends all descending on Saturday night, there’s a fair chance that post-match group hug might be a large one.