Super Rugby Aupiki final: Blues Women beat Matatū for third-straight title

The Blues Women claimed a 28-21 win over South Islanders Matatū at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, a late try from hooker Katelyn Vahaakolo lifting the side to their third-straight title.

It hasn’t been the smoothest season for the defending champions. After losing just two games in their previous two seasons combined, they went into the final round of the regular season needing to beat Matatū just to earn the right to defend their throne in the grand final of the second-closest Super Rugby Aupiki season to date, behind 2023, with an average winning margin of around 12 points being five closer than in 2025.

They did so and, for the second week in a row, the Blues got the better of their South Island rivals away from home in a final largely dominated by defence.

Both sides were guilty of turning the ball over as metres with ball in hand proved hard to come by, but the Blues did look the more likely side when in possession, while their set piece was dominant for most of the contest.

The Blues lost Braxton Sorensen-McGee to a failed head injury assessment early in the game, the star fullback hitting her head on the turf after being monstered in a tackle by Matatū centre Amy du Plessis in a passage of play that would ultimately lead to the hosts’ first points of the evening.

The Blues squad runs deep, and professional try-scorer Katelyn Vahaakolo entered the fray. She went on to become the leading try-scorer in competition history with a double – including the title-winner.

Vahaakolo also made some key plays without ball in hand. In particular, the winger made one clean-out deep in her own territory midway through the second half with the scores level, and then her ability to hold off the Matatū counter ruck until her teammates got back in support midway through the second half was one of the game’s pivotal moments.

It was a tentative start with accuracy lacking at times, but the Blues finally opened the scoring after a good passage of possession ultimately enabled hooker Atlanta Lolohea to stretch out from a quick pick-and-go close to the line.

It wasn’t long afterwards that Matatū hit back. After du Plessis’ dominant tackle on Sorensen-McGee and a subsequent turnover at the breakdown by lock Emma Dermody, Matatū put 23 phases together. Halfback Maia Joseph ultimately knocked the ball on over the tryline, but with the side playing with penalty advantage, they got a second chance and struck through impressive loose forward Sarah Jones.

Making her first Aupiki start, Jones was arguably the best player on the field for Matatū, with a huge work rate on both sides of the ball. It was a strong charge up the middle deep in Blues territory that ignited the hosts’ next try, with winger Alena Saili crossing in the corner to put Matatū ahead, before Joseph was sinbinned for a high shot just before halftime.

The Blues returned serve early in the second half despite a poor restart from first five-eighths Ruahei Demant giving the hosts a scrum on halfway.

Matatū coughed up possession not long afterwards and Blues midfielder Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu Atai’i Sylvia Brunt made a run that split the defence open. Brunt probably should have passed the ball with support runners either side but opted to hold it, and was brought down inside the Matatū 22. The hosts were scrambling, however, and Vahaakolo scored her first for the match a couple of phases later.

In a tense standoff, it took another 25 minutes for either team to pull ahead, with Lolohea scoring her second, before a yellow card to lock Maama Vaipulu for a face-to-face tackle gave Matatū a penalty in an attacking position, and hooker Georgia Ponsonby scored from the ensuing lineout drive with just three minutes left on the clock.

With the scores level at 21, it seemed Super Point would be needed, with Matatū trying to wind down the clock and keep the ball in tight. However, the Blues got over the ball to steal it back and were able to launch a final attack in Matatū territory.

A penalty to the Blues felt like it would lead to a potentially game-winning shot at goal, but halfback Tara Turner took a quick tap in an all-or-nothing play.

Ultimately, the Blues got it all as they were able to swing it wide once more for Vahaakolo to wrap the game – and the title – up.

Matatū 21 (Sarah Jones, Alena Saili, Georgia Ponsonby tries; Maia Joseph 3 cons)

Blues Women 28 (Atlanta Lolohea 2, Katelyn Vahaakolo 2 tries; Braxton Sorensen-McGee con, Ruahei Demant 3 cons)

HT: 14-7