Super Rugby Aupiki: Matatū crush Chiefs Manawa in front of record crowd in opening round

Saturday, 13 June 2026

One NZ Stadium continues to pull in the punters, with a record-breaking crowd piling in for Matatū’s Super Rugby Aupiki record opening-round win over the Chiefs Manawa.

On the back of 25,000 sell-outs at Christchurch’s new roofed venue’s Super Round opening weekend, and subsequent four Crusaders matches, there was then 11,793 in attendance as Matatū thumped the Manawa 52-26 on Saturday afternoon.

That smashed the previous record for a standalone domestic women’s rugby match in New Zealand, which stood at 4800 for the 2024 Aupiki final when the Blues beat the Chiefs at Eden Park.

“I cannot express how thankful I am to you guys,” an elated Matatū captain Grace Brooker told the crowd afterwards, on Sky TV.

“It’s so good. I don’t know if you understand what you’ve actually done here today, you’ve set the precedent for the rest of the competition, for the rest of Aotearoa.

“You’ve made us feel seen, you’ve made us feel heard, and we appreciate you so, so much.”

Matatū ensured the occasion doubly special, with the 2025 runners-up putting in a clinical performance in an eight-tries-to-four display where they recorded both their highest-ever score and biggest-ever winning margin.

New recruit Elinor-Plum King (after two seasons at the Hurricanes Poua) crossed twice in the final 10 minutes as the openside flanker bagged a hat-trick in a memorable first outing with her new side.

Former netballer Paris Lokotui, who was part of the ANZ Premiership-winning Mainland Tactix side last year, was another standout in the forward pack, stamping her claims early with a ruck turnover win and playing a great role in what was a presumably set-move overthrown lineout, which led to a Maia Joseph finish.

Black Ferns halfback Joseph was instrumental around the park in setting up more tries, as the Manawa, who will be kicking themselves over some penalty missed touchfinders, struggled to foot it with the hosts, aside from with their driving maul, where three of their five-pointers came.

Meanwhile, the two-time defending champion Blues opened their three-peat quest in style, with not even a red card to Maama Vaipulu stopping them from recording a comfortable 42-7 win over the Hurricanes Poua at Eden Park.

The hosts, who lost both their pre-season games, including 26-12 away to the Poua eight days ago, wasted no time in lighting it up, opening the scoring in the fifth minute through young Black Ferns star Braxton Sorensen-McGee, who was on the shoulder of debutant and fellow 19-year-old Sariyah Paitai after the winger’s huge break upfield.

Former Chiefs rep Mererangi Paul, in her first game for her new franchise, then crashed over to extend the margin, and while the Poua quickly hit back through a Sam Taylor burst, a yellow card to Krystal Murray for collapsing a maul (and the mounting penalties) proved costly.

From the ensuing scrum, Sylvia Brunt smashed her way over, and three minutes later the Blues again found pay through the middle with quick recycling and Atlanta Lolohea crashing through.

Just after the Poua had been restored to their full complement, the home side then had a player of their own binned, after a brain explosion from Black Fern Vaipulu saw her send a palm to the face of Brianna Wallace on the ground in the 38th minute.

Upon return from halftime (where the Blues led 28-7), referee Erin Doherty then informed the card was being upgraded to a 20-minute red one, given the “intentional act of foul play”.

The Canes, though, couldn’t make their numerical advantage count, as the Blues muscled up in their scrum and tackled staunchly, albeit with one particularly awful friendly-fire head clash which took out Cilia-Marie Po’e-Tofaeono and debutant Amarante Sititi, just a week after her brother, All Blacks star Wallace, suffered his own sickening head knock.

With the Poua enjoying plenty of ball but not able to do much with it, and eventually making error after error, the Blues ended a near-40-minute scoring drought by keeping the ball alive brilliantly and profiting with a beautifully-worked try to Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, before Tafito Lafaele powered over to complete the rout.

Super Rugby Aupiki, Rd 1

At Eden Park, Auckland: Blues Women 42 (Braxton Sorensen-McGee, Mererangi Paul, Sylvia Brunt, Atlanta Lolohea, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Tafito Lafaele tries; Sorensen-McGee 6 con) Hurricanes Poua 7 (Sam Taylor try; Renee Holmes con). HT: 28-7.

At One NZ Stadium, Christchurch: Matatū 52 (Elinor-Plum King 3, Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Maia Joseph, Amy du Plessis, Binky Muamua, Laura Bayfield tries; Hannah King 6 con) Chiefs Manawa 26 (Vici-Rose Green 2, Leata Puni-Lio, Ariana Bayler tries; Carys Dallinger 3 con). HT: 26-14.