Chiefs Manawa kept Hurricanes Poua winless, but a bonus point victory wasn’t enough to save their season.
With a brisk, bold and brilliant performance, Matatū have earned a place in their second final, shocking the Blues 37-29 at Toll Stadium in Whangārei.
A fortnight ago, the Blues won 28-7 but weren't allowed to impose their will physically,
Matatū’s victory was headlined by a mammoth performance by Lucy Jenkins. The Black Ferns openside flanker made 22 tackles and scored two tries. No.8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker was menacing, and halfback Maia Joseph delivered the last pass in three Matatū tries.
It was the Blues that made a blistering start when Portia Woodman-Wickliffe burst through a hole and dashed 25 metres to open proceedings after just two minutes.
Powerful prop Moomooga Palu responded for Matatū with a close-range barge before Jenkins put Matatū ahead on the back of a quick tap by Joseph.
Aldora Itunu copied Paul with a smash over of her own, and it was deadlocked 12-12 at halftime.
Openside Taufa Bason put the Blues back in front after halftime with her first Aupiki try, managing to brush off the final defender to cross in the corner.
However, in attempting to run it out from deep, the Blues threw a wayward pass which was picked off by Fia Laikong, who strolled over from just five metres out.
Jenkins' second try, converted by Hannah King, propelled Matatū 24-17 ahead.
Bason tied the scores as she continues to enhance her growing reputation. The Feilding High School product has already represented championship winners Manawatū in the Farah Palmer Cup.
In October, she scored four tries for the Under-18 New Zealand Barbarians in their 29-15 victory over New Zealand Māori Under 18 Ngā Māreikura. The Barbarians were coached by Black Ferns Rugby World Cup Winners Anna Richards, Aleisha-Pearl Nelson, Emma Jensen, Elosie Blackwell, and Monalisa Urquhart.
Another promising prospect, World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year, Hannah King, kicked a penalty to make it 27-24 after 59 minutes.
Three minutes later, Black Ferns centre Amy Du Plessis busted 30 metres. Matatū built phases and Kaea Nepia dotted down to make it a ten-point deficit for the Blues with 15 to play.
The Blues rallied and Matatū finally cracked in the 69th minute when prolific winger Katelyn Vahaakolo found herself unmarked on the right flank.
However, Matatū remained composed and calculated. A 77th-minute penalty kicked by King booked the Southerns' place in the final.
Matatū: 37 (Moomooga Palu, Lucy Jenkins 2, Fia Laikong, Kaea Nepia tries; Hannah King 3 con, 2 pen) Blues: 29 (Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Aldora Itunu, Taufa Bason 2, Katelyn Vahaakolo tries; Ruahei Demant con, Krysten Cottrell con) HT: 12-12
An overwhelming weight of possession drove Chiefs Manawa to a hard-earned victory against Hurricanes Poua at NZCIS.
The hosts defended stoutly with fierce resistance provided by No.8 Layla Sae (24 tackles), openside Elinor Plum-King, and lock Kahurangi Strumey. Even gun winger Ayesha Leti-I'iga made two try-saving tackles.
Ultimately, however, Manawa’s muscle prevailed. Mia Anderson scored the visitors' fifth try following a bulldozer scrum that pushed the Poua back several metres. Anderson was instrumental in Manawa's catalogue of robust carries.
Equally effective in that regard was the tighthead prop Veisinia Fakalelu, who has made 62 carries this season.
Manawa took seven minutes to open the scoring. Slick handling from a scrum created space for Black Ferns winger Ruby Tui, who finished her fifth try of the season.
Manawa reigned supreme in the lineouts and a combative drive had the Poua stretched in the 22nd minute. Eventually, Hazel Tubic offloaded gently for Tenika Willison to dot down for her second try of the season
The Poua’s discipline wavered and in the 33rd minute, second-five Monica Tangoai was yellow carded. Under-resourced, Poua conceded on halftime when centre Mererangi Paul scored from close range. Paul ranks in the top three of Aupiki for metres gained, clean breaks, defenders beaten and offloads.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Poua’s defense becoming more defiant. Manawa broke through in the 55th minute when a Poua spillage was kicked ahead by Tui and collected by Renee Holmes. In the 72nd minute, Manawa’s scrum went into overdrive.
The Hurricanes Poua consolation try was deserved, scored by lively first-five Te Rauoriwa Gapper, who has won 35 of 41 games for Canterbury in the Farah Palmer Cup.
Chiefs Manawa: 27 Ruby Tui, Tenika Willison, Mererangi Paul, Renee Holmes, Mia Anderson tries; Hazel Tubic con) Hurricanes Poua: 7 (Te Rauoriwa Gapper try; Cassie Siataga con) HT: 17-0