Ngā Kaitiaki - The Guardians
A kaitiaki is a guardian who ensures the protection, growth and vitality of their environment.
These four men are the kaitiaki of our values and our identity. They will drive who we are on and off the field.
The Hurricanes have today announced Asafo Aumua, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Billy Proctor, and Brad Shields as captains of the 2025 men’s squad.
Head Coach, Clark Laidlaw, provided some further insight around the decision “Yes, the approach is a little bit different, but we’re not just doing it for the sake of being different. This is what we felt was the best way to structure and provide leadership and guidance within our environment this season.”
“In Asafo, Du’Plessis, Billy, and Brad we are fortunate to have exceptional men who already naturally lead different facets of our game. If you couple that ability with the ever-changing picture to select 23 men each week then it does give us some continuity with our leadership.”
Hurricanes Cultural Advisor, Te Wehi Wright supported the sentiments shared by Clark Laidlaw and added “We had a good wānanga about the most appropriate concept and term to use to reflect this approach. Although not environment specific, the concept of a kaitiaki was chosen for its holistic meaning which we thought was a good reflection of the environment and the kaupapa this team has been building over the last couple of years. It also has connections to the kōrero held within our haka.”
In reference to the practicalities of how the captain’s armband will work week to week, Laidlaw added “The reality is that we are not going to have four named skippers on the field (or in the 23) at any one time, we’ll designate a captain or co-captains week to week based on the make-up of the team and who is available.”
The captain’s tag is not one any of the four are unaccustomed to with Shields (official Hurricanes captain in 2018 and 2024), Proctor and Aumua leading the Hurricanes as captain or co-captain at various times in 2024, and Kirifi performing the role for Wellington during the NPC, and more recently the All Blacks XV.
The new look Hurricanes leadership will take the field for the first time this Friday 14 February against the Crusaders in Christchurch.