Finishing touches before Aupiki
Southerners push favoured Chiefs
Matatu has arrived. The South Island professional women’s team finally got on the field in Taupō at the weekend. A pre-season 28-20 loss to the Chiefs Manawa featured plenty of promising signs ahead of the official — unless it is delayed by Covid again — start of the first Super Rugby Aupiki competition on Thursday.
The Chiefs are the early favourites for Aupiki, but Matatu was not far off the pace at all, and arguably only had themselves to blame for not winning the game.
Two tries in the first 10 minutes of the second half gave the northerners a 21-3 lead built on the back of illdiscipline from their opponents.
Matatu conceded a flurry of penalties, and when captain Alana Bremner was yellow-carded in the 44th minute, the Chiefs took a quick tap before Pia Tapsell muscled over from close range.
The Chiefs went coast to coast a few moments later when Renee Wickliffe broke down the short side from inside her 22m and combined with Ruby Tui in a sweeping movement.
Down 21-3, Matatu got some energy from their bench.
A rolling maul fractured just short of the line but lock Julia Gorinski was able to hurdle over a ruck and cut the deficit to 21-8 in the 59th minute.
Wickliffe slipped through again but
With 15 minutes left, and a scoreline of 21-13, there was a possibility of an unlikely comeback, but those hopes were dashed when Chiefs hooker Luka Connor burst clear in the 70th minute.
Matatu at least had the final say when Terauoriwa Gapper scored a consolation try.
Earlier, Liv McGoverne had opened the scoring with a 25m penalty for Matatu, but the Chiefs looked more threatening.
They scored the first try from an unfortunate intercept. Matatu winger Martha Mataele made a piercing break only to have her attempted pass to an outside supporter picked off by Black Ferns flyer Portia Woodman.
It is a rematch on Thursday night, when Matatu plays the Chiefs in the opening Aupiki round at 7.05pm. The competition kicks off with the BluesHurricanes clash at 3.35pm.