A Big Year for Our Brand Guardians

It’s been a memorable few months for Rutherford & Bond and King Toyota Brand Guardians Du’Plessis Kirifi, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan and Lewis Clareburt, with all three achieving major success in their respective sports.

In June, Du’Plessis helped lead the Hurricanes to the Super Rugby Pacific title. As co-captain, he played a key role in guiding the team to its first championship in 10 years and only the second Super Rugby title in Hurricanes history. Their previous title came in 2016, making this year’s win an especially significant moment for the team and Hurricanes supporters across the region.

Mila then headed to Glasgow with the Silver Ferns for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The team defeated Jamaica 56 - 48 in the final to claim New Zealand’s first Commonwealth Games netball gold since 2010, ending a 16-year wait. It was just the third Commonwealth Games gold won by New Zealand since netball was introduced to the programme in 1998.

Lewis also had an outstanding Commonwealth Games, finishing the competition with two gold medals and one silver.

He successfully defended both of the titles he won at Birmingham 2022, taking gold in the 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley. His 200m butterfly victory came after an impressive finish that took him from seventh to first over the final 100 metres, while his time of 4:08.72 in the 400m individual medley secured another Commonwealth title by more than two seconds.

Lewis also claimed silver in the 200m individual medley, recording a personal-best time of 1:56.77 and improving on the bronze medal he won in the same event four years earlier.

From a long-awaited Super Rugby title to Commonwealth Games gold, it has been a remarkable run of results for our Brand Guardians. We’re incredibly proud of Du’Plessis, Mila and Lewis and everything they continue to achieve on the field, court and in the pool.