2022 Super Rugby Aupiki season

The 2022 Super Rugby Aupiki season is the inaugural season of Super Rugby Aupiki. The competition commenced on 10 March between Chiefs Manawa and Matatū.^[1][2] On 20 March, Chiefs Manawa were crowned as the inaugural champions of Super Rugby Aupiki after defeating the Blues Women 35–0 in the final round of the competition.^[3][4][5][6]

2022 Super Rugby Aupiki season
Countries	New Zealand
Tournament format(s)	Round-robin
Champions	Chiefs Manawa (1st title)
Matches played	6
Tries scored	22 (3.67 per match)
Top point scorer(s)	Kelly Brazier (16 pts)
(Next) 2023 →

Teams

Team	Coach	City
Blues Women	Willie Walker	Auckland, Auckland Region
Chiefs Manawa	Allan Bunting	Hamilton, Waikato
Hurricanes Poua	Wesley Clarke	Wellington, Wellington Region
Matatū	Blair Baxter	Christchurch, Canterbury

Format

All four teams will get three regular season matches; one home, one away, and one Super Round fixture. The top two teams will contest the final.^[7][8][9]

The competition was later reformatted to a round robin fixture due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. All the squads were strongly affected with player isolations and COVID-19 cases. The inaugural champion would be crowned based on their competition points.^[10]

Standings

Rank	Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	TF	TA	TB	LB	+/-	BP	Pts
1	Chiefs Manawa	3	3	0	0	81	23	13	4	2	0	58	2	14
2	Hurricanes Poua	3	1	1	1	26	35	3	5	0	0	-9	0	6
3	Blues Women	3	1	1	1	21	45	3	6	0	0	-24	0	6
4	Matatū	3	0	0	3	31	56	4	8	0	1	-25	1	1

Matches

Round 1

	10 March 2022	Hurricanes Poua	0–0	Blues Women	FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
	15:35 (GMT +13)		[nb 1]

	10 March 2022	Chiefs Manawa	17–15	Matatū	FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
	19:05 (GMT +13)	Try: Angel Mulu Ruby Tui Kennedy Simon Con: Kelly Brazier	Report	Try: Phillipa Love Grace Steinmetz Amy Rule	Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr

Round 2

	15 March 2022	Chiefs Manawa	29–8	Hurricanes Poua	FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
	15:35 (GMT +13)	Try: Renee Wickcliffe Luka Connor Portia Woodman Hazel Tubic Mia Anderson Con: Kelly Brazier (2)	Report	Try: Joanah Ngan-Woo Pen: Carys Dallinger

	15 March 2022	Blues Women	21–10	Matatū	FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
	19:05 (GMT +13)	Try: Krystal Murray Mele Hufanga Shannon Leota Con: Patricia Maliepo (2) Krysten Cottrell	Report	Try: Martha Mataele Con: Liv McGoverne Pen: Liv McGoverne

Round 3

	20 March 2022	Matatū	6–18	Hurricanes Poua	FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
	17:05 (GMT +13)	Pen: Kendra Cocksedge (2)	Report	Try: Ayesha Leti-I'iga (2) Con: Carys Dallinger Pen: Carys Dallinger (2)

	20 March 2022	Blues Women	0–35	Chiefs Manawa	FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
	19:35 (GMT +13)		Report	Try: Luka Connor Ruby Tui Hazel Tubic Portia Woodman Langi Veainu Con: Kelly Brazier (2) Pen: Kelly Brazier (2)

Players

Squads

Blues Women squad^[13][14]

Forwards	Aldora Itunu • Krystal Murray • Chryss Viliko • Rebecca Todd • Cristo Tofa • Eloise Blackwell • Tafito Lafaele • Maiakawanakaulani Roos • Charmaine Smith • Vineta Teutau • Tenaija Fletcher • Liana Mikaele-Tu'u • Ilisapeta Molia • Aroha Savage • Shannon Leota • Olivia Ward-Duin • Cindy Nelles • Marie-Cilia Po’e-Tofaeono • Sophie Fisher
Backs	Tyla Nathan-Wong • Melanie Puckett • Luisa Togotogorua • Patricia Maliepo • Ruahei Demant • Theresa Fitzpatrick • Mele Hufanga • Sam Curtis • Princess Elliot • Natahlia Moors • Kalyn Takitimu-Cook • Krysten Cottrell • Shyanne Thompson
Coach	Willie Walker

Chiefs Manawa squad^[15]

Forwards	Tanya Kalounivale • Angel Mulu • Awhina Tangen-Wainohu • Santo Taumata • Jayjay Taylor • Luka Connor • Grace Houpapa-Barrett • Victoria Edmonds • Chyna Hohepa • Kelsie Wills • Les Elder • Kennedy Simon • Pia Tapsell • Harono Te Iringa
Backs	Ariana Bayler • Maia Joseph • Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu • Kelly Brazier • Hazel Tubic • Chelsea Semple • Georgia Daals • Portia Woodman • Stacey Fluhler • Carla Hohepa • Ruby Tui • Renee Wickliffe
Coach	Allan Bunting

Hurricanes Poua squad^[16]

Forwards	Leilani Perese • Isadora Leio-Laupola • Marilyn Live • Ngano Tavake • Esther Tilo-Faiaogo • Jayme Nuku • Joanah Ngan-Woo • Jackie Patea-Fereti • Rachael Rakatau • Kahurangi Sturmey • Kathleen Brown • Dhys Faleafaga • Sarah Hirini • Kaipo Olsen-Baker • Layla Sae
Backs	Ana-Maria Afuie • Iritana Hohaia • Carys Dallinger • Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali • Sapphire Abraham • Teilah Ferguson • Monica Tagoai • Janna Vaughan • Lauren Balsillie • Lyric Faleafaga • Ayesha Leti-I'iga • Cheyelle Robins-Reti • Selica Winiata
Coach	Wesley Clarke

Matatū squad^[17]

Forwards	Pip Love • Ashley Palu • Amy Rule • Stephanie Te Ohaere-Fox • Georgia Ponsonby • Chelsea Bremner • Julia Gorinski • Michaela Leonard • Alana Bremner • Kendra Reynolds • Natalie Delamere • Lucy Jenkins • Greer Muir • Marcelle Parkes
Backs	Kendra Cocksedge • Di Hiini • Terauoriwa Gapper • Rosie Kelly • Arabella McKenzie • Lucy Anderson • Grace Brooker • Amy du Plessis • Liv McGoverne • Renee Holmes • Martha Mataele • Kilisitina Moata'ane • Grace Steinmetz
Coach	Blair Baxter

Notes

1. The Hurricanes Poua & Blues Women's match was cancelled. Hurricanes Poua was forced to withdraw from the match due to COVID cases and isolation requirements.^[11][12]