Proud new All Black Du’Plessis Kirifi keen to sink teeth into Argentina
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New Zealand's Du’Plessis Kirifi celebrates his try during the third international rugby Test match against France at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on July 19, 2025.
PHOTO: AFP
Late-blooming flanker Du’Plessis Kirifi is glad the fuss over his test debut is receding in the background, so he can focus on cementing his spot in New Zealand’s back row in the Rugby Championship.
The Hurricanes hard-man soaked up his first All Blacks minutes off the bench against France in Dunedin in July 2025 and finished the series with a full match in Hamilton as a late replacement for the starting openside Luke Jacobson.
He has retained the All Blacks’ No. 7 jersey for the first test against Argentina in Cordoba on Saturday, beating out a raft of quality loose forwards, including Samipeni Finau, who was named in the reserves.
“It’s obviously another proud moment, officially being named to start for the first time,” Kirifi told reporters in a video call on Aug 15.
“But I’m kind of glad that the first couple of tests are over and all the noise around me becoming an All Black is behind me.
"Now I can just focus on training hard and playing well."
Named after former South Africa captain Morne du Plessis by a rugby-loving dad, 28-year-old Kirifi has waited a long time for his moment in test rugby.
Five years ago he was called up to Ian Foster’s All Blacks squad as injury cover but he never got to pull on a jersey.
Current coach Scott Robertson also gave him a call-up during the Northern Hemisphere tour last year, but he missed out on selection again.
While processing the disappointment, Kirifi flirted with a move overseas to take up a “juicy deal” with a Japanese club which would have meant shelving his test rugby ambitions.
Instead, he re-signed with the Hurricanes and New Zealand Rugby in March after his father urged him to give the All Blacks one more crack.
Little wonder there were warm cheers when Kirifi took the field in Dunedin and finished his victorious All Blacks debut with a blood-soaked collar from a cut to his ear.
Kirifi said post-match he would give the jersey, unwashed, to his father to hang in the hallway of the family home.
Starting alongside enforcer Ardie Savea on Aug 16, Kirifi will be ready to spill more blood for New Zealand against a ferocious Argentina back row featuring Marcos Kremer and Pablo Matera.
“We’re pretty aware of the challenge that’s in front of us and the environment that we’re walking into over the next couple of weeks,” he said.
“We’re really looking forward to sinking our teeth into some pretty solid opposition.” REUTERS
