The Blues finished top of the regular season table by winning more games (5) and scoring more points (214), and tries (33) than any side. Southerners, Matatu won four games and scored 169 points while conceding 141.
The defending champions beat Matatu resoundingly by 28-7 in their first meeting on March 15. A fortnight later, Matatu ended the Blues’ nine-match winning streak with a 37-29 win in Whangarei.
The Blues can play expansively and subtly but are unstoppable with real physical momentum; athletically, the most powerful team in Aupiki, driven by robust Black Ferns forwards Chryss Viliko, Atlanta Lolohea, Aldora Itunu, Maia Roos, Maama Vaipulu and Liana Mikaele Tu’u.
Matatu boasts seasoned internationals, Georgia Ponsonby, the Bremner sisters, and Kaipo Olsen-Baker, but must be shrewd to conquer the Blues. What might that involve? Play at pace from stoppages with quick taps and slick ball movement. Get to the edges and prevent an arm-wrestle in the middle of the park. Creative kicking can be employed occasionally to turn the Blues around, and don’t let the ball get to the Blues’ backs, which include prolific try-scoring Black Ferns Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and Katelyn Vahaakolo.
The Blues are the favourites to win, but on March 29, Matatu snapped a three-game losing streak against the Blues. A 26-23 victory in the 2023 semi-final at North Harbour Stadium, Albany, was the Matatu’s last victory against the defending champions before then. Former Black Ferns winger Cheyelle Robins-Reti, who starts on the wing for the visitors tonight, scored three tries in that game.
Matatu went on to beat Chiefs Manawa 33-31 in the final, improbably rallying from a 19-0 deficit in as many minutes to prevail. Rugby World Cup-winning Black Ferns fullback Renee Holmes was a hero for Matatu, scoring 23 points. Fellow Black Ferns fullback Tenika Willison wasn’t so lucky, missing a handy penalty on the siren to win the game. Holmes, now with Chiefs Manawa, dramatically reflected.
“I thought she’d get it. No way she’d miss. We’d run the show for 60 minutes, so when the penalty happened, I felt sick. I felt like throwing up on the field.
“I couldn’t believe it when Tenika missed. I went to the left side, furthest from where Tenika placed it. When I saw it coming towards me, the relief was enormous.
“My advice for Tenika is that we need to miss the winning kick to get the winning kick. Kickers are a rare breed. “We’re courageous, but we need those bad moments to build diamonds.”
The Blues had plenty of bad moments in the 2024 final against Chiefs Manawa, down 5-18 in heavy rain before winning 24-18.
Halfback Kahlia Awa came on the field with 20 minutes remaining and completely changed the game by scoring a try and assisting two others. Awa will reprise her role from the bench tonight.
The Blues have five current or former Black Ferns on their bench: Grace Gago, Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, Eloise Blackwell, Sylvia Brunt, and Patricia Maliepo. Matatu only has prop Amy Rule but has outscored opponents 54-17 in the last quarter of matches this season.
Matatu Key Player: In 2023, Amy Du’Plessis started all seven Tests for the Black Ferns. In 2024, she was relegated to just two starts in eight internationals. The South Africa-born Southlander has been a force of nature scoring two tries in a come-from-behind 31-25 defeat of Chiefs Manawa in Hamilton in the opening round and featuring in the top ten of Aupiki for caries (75), defenders beaten (26), metres gained (410) and offloads (7).
Blues Key Player: Statistically speaking the Blues boast the best Aupiki scrum, but the worst lineout, despite Blues lock Maama Vaipulu claiming the most individual lineout catches. Furthermore Vaipulu is a busy and bustling presence whose impact will be a good measure of the Blues forward fortunes.
