After a resounding win against the struggling Hurricanes Poua, Chiefs Manawa are on the board.
Blues: 28 (Sylvia Brunt 2, Braxton Sorensen-McGee Atlanta Lolohea tries; Tara Turner con, Ruahei Demant 2 con, Krysten Cottrell con) Matatū: 7 (Hannah King try, con) HT: 14-7
The Blues jangled upon a tightrope in their victory against Chiefs Manawa last week. The defending champions afforded no such mercy to previously unbeaten Matatū, achieving a convincing win in the first Sky Super Rugby Aupiki match played at Trafalgar Park in Nelson.
Blues halfback Tara Turner memorably told Sky Sport afterward the Blues “Mongrel Dogs” came out to play.
The Blues' crushing and smothering defense stifled Matatū, with locks Maia Roos and Maama Vaipulu a towering presence. Despite honourable displays by centre Amy du Plessis and No.8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Matatū was almost always in the chasing position.
Gun Black Ferns winger Katelyn Vahaakolo was injured for the Blues but Braxton Sorensen-McGee and Sylvia Brunt stepped up in her place. Brunt was a powerhouse scoring the first two tries after a scoreless 22-minute opening.
Sorensen-McGee’s try five minutes after halftime, in which she bamboozled the last defender and sprinted 40 metres, was a stunner.
For the Blues, Ruahei Demant and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe rank inside the top five of Aupiki for tries and clean breaks. The Blues have scored the most tries, made the most clean breaks, beaten the most defenders and boast the best scrum in the competition. Their lineout is not always reliable but Vaipulu has the most lineout catches with 14.
For Matatū openside flanker Lucy Jenkins is the top Aupiki tackler with 60.
Chiefs Manawa: 46 (Ruby Tui 2, Azalleyah Maaka, Jade Coates, Luka Connor, Renee Holmes, Vici-Rose Green, Tenika Willison tries; Holmes 3 cons) Hurricanes Poua: 7 (Cassie Siataga try, con)
The Hurricanes Poua made a promising start gaining a healthy supply of possession; physical and direct with their carries. The visitors could even have scored a try had Tea Rauoriwa Gapper not run out of gas after running 40 metres from an intercept before getting tackled by Tenika Willison.
When the tide turned the Poua was unable to contain a Chiefs pack that welcomed back Black Ferns hooker Luka Connor who scored her record 17th Aupiki try and a rampant Kennedy Tukuafu who ranks in the top five of Aupiki for carries and tackles made.
Chiefs Manawa struck a good balance between belligerence and expansion as they secured a four-try bonus point before halftime. Second-five Azalleyah Maaka is growing in stature and Ruby Tui is in buoyant form.
The Manawa bench added punch and urgency with replacement hooker Vici-Rose Green scoring her second try in as many weeks, Krystal Murray was vibrant, and Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu is a beast in the scrums.
For the Poua, Cassie Siataga was lively, and her 58th-minute try was a beauty.
No.8 Layla Sae tops Aupiki for most carries with 40 and is second equal for most tackles (53) with teammate Samantha Taylor. Elinor-Plum King has made 49 tackles in three games this season and took the fight to a fitter, more substantial Manawa pack.
In Round 4, the Hurricanes Poua hosts Matatū at NZCIS while Chiefs Manawa and the Blues in Hamilton is set to be a blockbuster. Both fixtures are on Saturday afternoon.