2023 Super Rugby Aupiki season

The 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki season was the second season of Super Rugby Aupiki (known as Sky Super Rugby Aupiki for sponsorship reasons), a professional women's rugby union club competition organised by New Zealand Rugby. The competition ran from 25 February 2023 – when Hurricanes Poua and Chiefs Manawa played the opening match in Levin – to 25 March 2023.[1]

2023 Super Rugby Aupiki season
Countries New Zealand
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and knockout
ChampionsMatatū (1st title)
Matches played10
Tries scored96 (9.6 per match)
Top point scorer(s)Renee Holmes, Matatū (59)
Top try scorer(s)Luka Connor, Chiefs Manawa (7)
Official websiteOfficial site
← 2022 (Previous)

The tournament was won by Matatū, who defeated Chiefs Manawa 33–31 in the final in Hamilton, earning them their first Super Rugby Aupiki title. That match also resulted in the Chiefs Manawa's first-ever loss in the two-year-old competition.[2]

Competition format

The competition featured four teams, who each played three regular season matches and two play-off matches. A total of ten matches were played over five weeks. The semi-finals were played on Sunday 19 March 2023 and the finals – which also included a third place play-off – on Saturday 25 March 2023.[1]

Standings

The standings at the end of the round-robin of the 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki season were:

2023 Super Rugby Aupiki standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1Chiefs Manawa3300149925723141013
2Matatū310295102–71516015
3Blues Women310295105–101515015
4Hurricanes Poua310268108–401018004
Legend
P = Games played, W = Games won, D = Games drawn, L = Games lost, PF = Points for, PA = Points against, PD = Points difference, TF = Tries for, TA = Tries against, TB = Try bonus points, LB = Losing bonus points, Pts = Competition points

Source: Sky Super Rugby Aupiki – Team standings[3]

Matches

Round 1
25 February 2023 Hurricanes Poua 21–53 Chiefs Manawa Levin Domain, Levin  
14:05 (GMT +13) Try: Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate 2'
Ayesha Leti-I'iga 5'
Rhiarna Ferris 21'
Con: Carys Dallinger (3/3) 4', 7', 22'
Cards: Krystal Murray yellow card 37' to 46'		 Report Try: Luka Connor (3) 9', 40+1', 59'
Tanya Kalounivale 26'
Kennedy Simon 34'
Chelsea Bremner 45'
Georgia Daals 48'
Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu 52'
Dhys Faleafaga 77'
Con: Hazel Tubic (1/4) 26'
Tenika Willison (3/5) 46', 49', 78'		 Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr
25 February 2023 Matatū 33–31 Blues Women Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin  
16:45 (GMT +13) Try: Kendra Reynolds 6'
Alana Bremner 18'
Martha Mataele 27'
Di Hiini 32'
Lucy Jenkins 44'
Con: Renee Holmes (4/5) 7', 19', 34', 45'
Cards: Alana Bremner yellow card 49' to 59'		 Report Try: Grace Gago 30'
Jaymie Kolose (2) 39', 51'
Katelyn Vaha'akolo 64'
Sophie Fisher 80+2'
Con: Ruahei Demant (3/5) 31', 40', 52'		 Referee: Brendon Pickerill

Round 2
4 March 2023 Blues Women 33–50 Chiefs Manawa North Harbour Stadium, Albany  
14:05 (GMT +13) Try: Jaymie Kolose (2) 15', 74'
Ma'ama Vaipulu (2) 50', 56'
Maiakawanakaulani Roos 71'
Con: Ruahei Demant (3/3) 16', 50', 58'
Krysten Cottrell (1/2) 72'		 Report Try: Luka Connor 11'
Georgia Daals (2) 24', 61'
Mererangi Paul (3) 30', 40+1', 63'
Grace Houpapa-Barrett 77'
Con: Hazel Tubic (6/6) 13', 25', 31', 40+3', 62', 64'
Amanda Rasch (0/1)
Pen: Hazel Tubic (1/1) 9'		 Referee: Natarsha Ganley
4 March 2023 Matatū 24–25 Hurricanes Poua Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch  
16:45 (GMT +13) Try: Kendra Reynolds 10'
Renee Holmes (2) 39', 70'
Grace Brooker 40+2'
Con: Renee Holmes (2/4) 40', 40+3'
Pen: Renee Holmes (0/1)		 Report Try: Ayesha Leti-I'iga 27'
Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly (2) 42', 63'
Joanah Ngan-Woo 58'
Con: Carys Dallinger (1/4) 59'
Pen: Isabella Waterman (1/1) 37'		 Referee: Mike Winter

Round 3
11 March 2023 Chiefs Manawa 46–38 Matatū FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton  
14:05 (GMT +13) Try: Mererangi Paul 15'
Luka Connor 24'
Kennedy Simon 32'
Georgia Daals (2) 39', 44'
Tynealle Fitzgerald 40+4'
Grace Houpapa-Barrett 66'
Con: Hazel Tubic (3/5) 25', 40', 40+5'
Tenika Willison (1/2) 45'
Pen: Hazel Tubic (1/2) 19'		 Report Try: Chey Robins-Reti 3'
Rosie Kelly 16'
Grace Steinmetz 22'
Natalie Delamere 72'
Lucy Jenkins 75'
Grace Brooker 79'
Con: Renee Holmes (4/6) 4', 22', 73', 79'		 Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr
11 March 2023 Hurricanes Poua 22–31 Blues Women Sky Stadium, Wellington  
16:45 (GMT +13) Try: Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly (2) 27', 49'
Joanah Ngan-Woo 42'
Con: Carys Dallinger (2/3) 28', 43'
Pen: Isabella Waterman (1/2) 64'
Cards: Ayesha Leti-I'iga yellow card 10' to 20'		 Report Try: Katelyn Vaha'akolo 13'
Ruahei Demant 45'
Patricia Maliepo (2) 73', 80'
Krysten Cottrell 76'
Con: Ruahei Demant (1/2) 47'
Krysten Cottrell (2/3) 77', 80+1'		 Referee: Nick Hogan

Finals

Chiefs Manawa finished top of the table after winning all their matches during the regular season. In their semi-final, they faced fourth-placed Hurricanes Poua.[4] Second-placed Matatū, who recorded their first-ever Super Rugby Aupiki win this season,[5] took on Blues Women in the other semi-final. Both semifinal matches were played at the North Harbour Stadium in Albany on 19 March 2023.[6]

Chiefs Manawa continued their winning streak in the semi-final by defeating Hurricanes Poua 43–21, while Matatū reached the final after a narrow 26–23 win over Blues Women. The final between Chiefs Manawa and Matatū, as well as the third-place play-off between Blues Women and Hurricanes Poua, were played at FMG Stadium Waikato on 25 March 2023.[5][7]

The 2023 final was the first Super Rugby Aupiki final in the young competition's history, after the competition was reformatted to a round robin tournament in 2022, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] Matatū were crowned as the new Super Rugby Aupiki champions after defeating Chiefs Manawa 33–31 in the final. It was Matatū's first title win and Chiefs Manawa's first-ever loss in Super Rugby Aupiki.[9]

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
 
 
 
Matatū26
 
 
 
Blues Women23
 
Matatū33
 
 
 
Chiefs Manawa31
 
Chiefs Manawa43
 
 
Hurricanes Poua21
 
3rd Place
 
 
 
 
 
Hurricanes Poua 29
 
 
Blues Women 24

Semifinals
19 March 2023 Matatū 26–23 Blues Women North Harbour Stadium, Albany  
15:15 (GMT +13) Try: Kendra Reynolds 14'
Chey Robins-Reti (3) 34', 40', 72'
Con: Renee Holmes (3/4) 15', 40+2', 73'		 Report Try: Katelyn Vaha'akolo 18'
Patricia Maliepo 49'
Liana Mikaele-Tu'u 69'
Con: Krysten Cottrell (1/3) 50'
Pen: Krysten Cottrell (2/2) 4', 9'		 Referee: Mike Winter
19 March 2023 Chiefs Manawa 43–21 Hurricanes Poua North Harbour Stadium, Albany  
18:05 (GMT +13) Try: Carla Hohepa 3'
Tenika Willison (2) 12', 59'
Luka Connor 20'
Kennedy Simon 43'
Mererangi Paul 70'
Con: Tenika Willison (5/6) 4', 13', 21', 45', 60'
Pen: Hazel Tubic (1/1) 77'		 Report Try: Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate 7'
Kaipo Olsen-Baker 40+4'
Layla Sae 55'
Con: Isabella Waterman (3/3) 8', 40+5', 56'
Cards: Joanah Ngan-Woo yellow card 68' to 80'		 Referee: Natarsha Ganley

Third place play-off
25 March 2023 Blues Women 24–29 Hurricanes Poua FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton  
11:35 (GMT +13) Try: Jaymie Kolose 31'
Grace Gago 38'
Tafito Lafaele 46'
Holly Williams 79'
Con: Krysten Cottrell (2/4) 32', 39'
Cards: Katelyn Vaha'akolo yellow card 50' to 60'		 Report Try: Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly 4'
Monica Tagoai (2) 13', 17'
Isabella Waterman 50'
Con: Isabella Waterman (3/4) 6', 15', 18'
Pen: Isabella Waterman (1/1) 77'		 Referee: Natarsha Ganley

Final
25 March 2023
14:05 (GMT +13)
Chiefs Manawa31–33Matatū
Try: Tanya Kalounivale (2) 4', 18'
Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu 12'
Mererangi Paul 36'
Luka Connor 78'
Con: Tenika Willison (3/5) 6', 20', 37'
Pen: Tenika Willison (0/1)		ReportTry: Amy Rule 23'
Renee Holmes (2) 25', 58'
Martha Mataele 31'
Con: Renee Holmes (2/4) 24', 33'
Pen: Renee Holmes (3/4) 30', 64', 74'
FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
Referee: Nick Hogan
Chiefs Manawa:[10]
LP 1 New Zealand Kate Henwood
HK 2 New Zealand Luka Connor
TP 3 New Zealand Tanya Kalounivale
LL 4 New Zealand Kelsie Thwaites
RL 5 New Zealand Chelsea Bremner
BF 6 New Zealand Charmaine Smith
OF 7 New Zealand Tynealle Fitzgerald
N8 8 New Zealand Kennedy Simon (c)
SH 9 New Zealand Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu (vc)
FH 10 New Zealand Hazel Tubic
LW 11 New Zealand Georgia Daals
IC 12 New Zealand Azalleyah Maaka
OC 13 New Zealand Carla Hohepa
RW 14 New Zealand Mererangi Paul
FB 15 New Zealand Tenika Willison
Replacements:
HK 16 New Zealand Grace Houpapa-Barrett
PR 17 New Zealand Angel Mulu
PR 18 New Zealand Te Urupounamu McGarvey
LK 19 New Zealand Dhys Faleafaga
LF 20 New Zealand Victoria Makea
SH 21 New Zealand Violet Hapi-Wise
BK 22 New Zealand Abigail Roache
CE 23 New Zealand Olive Watherston
Coach:
New Zealand Crystal Kaua
Matatū:[11]
LP 1 New Zealand Pip Love
HK 2 New Zealand Georgia Ponsonby
TP 3 New Zealand Amy Rule
LL 4 New Zealand Emma Dermody
RL 5 Canada Cindy Nelles
BF 6 New Zealand Lucy Jenkins
OF 7 New Zealand Kendra Reynolds
N8 8 New Zealand Alana Bremner (c)
SH 9 New Zealand Di Hiini
FH 10 New Zealand Rosie Kelly
LW 11 New Zealand Martha Mataele
IC 12 New Zealand Grace Brooker
OC 13 New Zealand Amy du Plessis
RW 14 New Zealand Chey Robins-Reti
FB 15 New Zealand Renee Holmes
Replacements:
HK 16 New Zealand Nat Delamere
PR 17 New Zealand Ashley Palu
PR 18 New Zealand Steph Te Ohaere-Fox
LK 19 Australia Sera Naiqama
LF 20 New Zealand Marcelle Parkes
SH 21 Australia Georgia Cormick
BK 22 New Zealand Atlanta Lolohea
BK 23 New Zealand Charntay Poko
Coach:
New Zealand Blair Baxter

Assistant Referees:[5]
Scott McKenzie (New Zealand)
Cassie Watt (New Zealand)
Television match official:
Aaron Paterson (New Zealand)

Statistics
As of 25 March 2023

Leading point scorers
No.PlayerTeamPointsDetails
1New Zealand Renee HolmesMatatū594 T, 15 C, 3 P, 0 D
2New Zealand Luka ConnorChiefs Manawa357 T, 0 C, 0 P, 0 D
3New Zealand Tenika WillisonChiefs Manawa342 T, 12 C, 0 P, 0 D
4New Zealand Mererangi PaulChiefs Manawa306 T, 0 C, 0 P, 0 D
5New Zealand Hazel TubicChiefs Manawa290 T, 10 C, 3 P, 0 D
6New Zealand Isabella WatermanHurricanes Poua261 T, 6 C, 3 P, 0 D
7New Zealand Georgia DaalsChiefs Manawa255 T, 0 C, 0 P, 0 D
New Zealand Jaymie KoloseBlues Women255 T, 0 C, 0 P, 0 D
New Zealand Autumn-Rain Stephens-DalyHurricanes Poua255 T, 0 C, 0 P, 0 D
10New Zealand Krysten CottrellBlues Women231 T, 6 C, 2 P, 0 D

Source: Sky Super Rugby Aupiki: Player Stats

Leading try scorers
No.PlayerTeamTries
1New Zealand Luka ConnorChiefs Manawa7
2New Zealand Mererangi PaulChiefs Manawa6
3New Zealand Georgia DaalsChiefs Manawa5
New Zealand Jaymie KoloseBlues Women5
New Zealand Autumn-Rain Stephens-DalyHurricanes Poua5
6New Zealand Renee HolmesMatatū4
New Zealand Chey Robins-RetiMatatū4
85 players3

Source: Sky Super Rugby Aupiki: Player Stats

Discipline
Player Team Red Yellow Round (vs. Opponent)
New Zealand Alana Bremner Matatū01 Round 1 (vs. Blues Women)
New Zealand Ayesha Leti-I'iga Hurricanes Poua01 Round 3 (vs. Blues Women)
New Zealand Krystal Murray Hurricanes Poua01 Round 1 (vs. Chiefs Manawa)
New Zealand Joanah Ngan-Woo Hurricanes Poua01 Semi-final (vs. Chiefs Manawa)
New Zealand Katelyn Vaha'akolo Blues Women01 Third place play-off (vs. Hurricanes Poua)

Players

Squads

The following squads have been named for the 2023 season.[12] Players listed in italics denote non-original squad members:

Blues Women squad[13]
Forwards Eloise Blackwell • Dajian Brown • Joanna Fanene Lolo • Esther Faiaoga-Tilo • Sophie Fisher • Grace Gago • Tafito Lafaele • Letelemalanuola Lavea • Shannon Leota • Charmaine McMenamin • Liana Mikaele-Tu'u • Toka Natua • Alakoka Po'oi • Maia Roos • Cheyenne Tuli-Fale • Ma'ama Vaipulu • Chryss Viliko
Backs Ariana Bayler • Sylvia Brunt • Krysten Cottrell • Kiritapu Demant • Ruahei Demant • Hayley Hutana • Jaymie Kolose • Patricia Maliepo • Melanie Puckett • Tara Turner • Katelyn Vaha'akolo • Holly Williams
Coach Willie Walker
Chiefs Manawa squad[14]
Forwards Chelsea Bremner • Luka Connor • Dhys Faleafaga • Tynealle Fitzgerald • Kate Henwood • Chyna Hohepa • Grace Houpapa-Barrett • Tanya Kalounivale • Victoria Makea • Te Urupounamu McGarvey • Angel Mulu • Kennedy Simon • Charmaine Smith • Awhina Tangen-Wainohu • Santo Taumata • Harono Te Iringa • Kelsie Wills
Backs Georgia Daals • Violet Hapi-Wise • Carla Hohepa • Azalleyah Maaka • Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu • Apii Nicholls-Pualau • Mererangi Paul • Amanda Rasch • Abigail Roache • Hazel Tubic • Langi Veainu • Olive Watherston • Tenika Willison
Coach Crystal Kaua
Hurricanes Poua squad[15]
Forwards Saphire Abraham • Maddie Feaunati • Rhiarna Ferris • Baye Jacob • Krystal Murray • Joanah Ngan-Woo • Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate • Kaipo Olsen-Baker • Jackie Patea-Fereti • Leilani Perese • Cilia-Marie Po'e-Tofaeono • Rachel Rakatau • Layla Sae • Aroha Savage • Kahurangi Sturmey • Sosoli Talawadua • Cristo Tofa
Backs Kahlia Awa • Shakira Baker • Carys Dallinger • Teilah Ferguson • Iritana Hohaia • Ayesha Leti-I'iga • Milly Mackey • Crystal Mayes • Bernadette Robertson • Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly • Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali • Monica Tagoai • Isabella Waterman
Coach Victoria Grant
Matatū squad[16]
Forwards Alana Bremner • Natalie Delamere • Emma Dermody • Eilis Doyle • Lucy Jenkins • Atlanta Lolohea • Phillipa Love • Leah Miles • Sera Naiqama • Cindy Nelles • Moomooga Palu • Marcelle Parkes • Georgia Ponsonby • Kendra Reynolds • Amy Rule • Stephanie Te Ohaere-Fox
Backs Grace Brooker • Georgia Cormick • Cheyenne Cunningham • Te Rauoriwa Gapper • Di Hiini • Renee Holmes • Rosie Kelly • Martha Mataele • Amy du Plessis • Charntay Poko • Chey Robins-Reti • Grace Steinmetz
Coach Blair Baxter

References
  1. "Sky Super Rugby Aupiki set to entertain in 2023". allblacks.com. 8 February 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  2. Chapman, Grant (25 March 2023). "Super Rugby Aupiki: Matatū shock defending champions Chiefs Manawa to snatch women's crown". Newshub. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  3. "Sky Super Rugby Aupiki – Team standings". New Zealand Rugby. 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  4. "Continuity the key for Waitomo Chiefs Manawa". Chiefs. 18 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  5. "Preview: Aupiki 2023 Final". superrugby.co.nz. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  6. "Super Rugby Aupiki: Teams announced for semifinals". Stuff New Zealand. 18 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  7. "Super Rugby Aupiki: Hamilton finale is last chance to impress on big stage before long wait for Black Ferns". Stuff New Zealand. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  8. "Sky Super Rugby Aupiki update". superrugby.co.nz (Press release). 2 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  9. "Matatū take Aupiki title in dramatic finale". superrugby.co.nz. 26 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  10. "Reigning champions name their team for Sky Super Rugby Aupiki finals". Chiefs (Press release). 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  11. "Team Naming: Aupiki Grand Final". Matatū (Press release). 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  12. "Talent aplenty for 2023 Sky Super Rugby Aupiki Squads". allblacks.com. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  13. "Sister act feature in NIB Blues women's squad". Blues (Press release). 21 November 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  14. "Waitomo Chiefs Manawa squad announced". Chiefs (Press release). 21 November 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  15. "Hurricanes Poua squad named ahead of 2023 Sky Super Rugby Aupiki". Hurricanes (Press release). 21 November 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  16. "2023 Matatū squad announced". Matatū (Press release). 21 November 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
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