| Union | New Zealand Rugby | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2021 | |
| Location | Auckland, New Zealand | |
| Region | Auckland North Harbour Northland | |
| Coach(es) | Willie Walker | |
| Captain(s) | Ruahei Demant & Maiakawanakaulani Roos | |
| League(s) | Super Rugby Aupiki | |
| 2024 | Champions | |
| ||
| Official website | ||
| www | ||
The Blues Women's team (known as the nib Blues Women for sponsorship reasons) [1] is a New Zealand professional women's rugby union team based in Auckland, New Zealand that competes in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition. [2]
On 1 May 2021, the Blues and Chiefs women's teams created history when they played in the first-ever women's Super Rugby match in New Zealand. The Blues hosted the Chiefs women at Eden Park in a double header before the Super Rugby Aotearoa round 10 match between their men's teams. [3] It was to be a one-off match in 2021, but both franchises expressed their commitment to developing a Super Rugby team for women in the future. [4]
The teams played for the 'Waipuea Women's Rugby Taonga' trophy. The name was derived from the words Wai (for Waikato, Waitemata water, river and sea) and Puea (for winds that carry korero – a conversation or meeting – over land, mountains and sea). Eloise Blackwell, who was named the Blues captain for the historic match, unveiled the trophy with Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu on the Sky Tower. [5]
Willie Walker was appointed to coach the Blues Women's team and named the match day squad on 29 April 2021. [6] [7] The Blues women lost the historic match 12–39. [8]
New Zealand Rugby announced on 6 October 2021, that an elite women's competition called Super Rugby Aupiki was confirmed for March 2022. [9] [10] [11] The competition would run for four weeks and the women would be paid for their participation. [12] [13] [11]
The Blues women released a list of player signings along with the other three teams in November 2021. [14] [15] Willie Walker was named as Head Coach, and his assistant coaches were Mel Bosman and James Semple. [16]
The Blues Women's opening match was cancelled due to Hurricanes Poua forced withdrawal due to COVID cases and isolation requirements within their squad. The Blues and Hurricanes Poua shared the competition points with the match being called a draw. [17] [18] [19] The Blues finally made their long-awaited Super Rugby Aupiki debut against Matatū, they ran in three tries in their 21–10 victory. [20] [21] [22] The Blues final match was against the Chiefs Manawa, the two sides having last met in the historic clash the year before. The Blues were left scoreless as the Chiefs showed their dominance in the 35–0 outcome. [23] [24] [25]
Blues Women made a come back from an 18–5 deficit to claim their first Aupiki title at Eden Park. [26] [27] They scored three tries within fifteen minutes to edge Chiefs Manawa 24–18 with Black Fern, Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, scoring the winning try. [26] [27]
On 28 November 2023, the squad for the 2024 Super Rugby Aupiki season was announced. [28] [29]
| Blues Super Rugby Aupiki squad | ||
|---|---|---|
Props Hookers Locks | Loose forwards Halfbacks (scrum-halves) First five-eighths (fly-halves) | Midfielders (centres) Outside backs |
| (cc) Denotes team co-captains, Bold denotes internationally capped, SP denotes a shadow player and ST indicated short-term cover. | ||
Blues named their coaching group for the 2024 season of Super Rugby Aupiki.
| Captain | Period | Refs |
|---|---|---|
 Eloise Blackwell | 2021 | [30] |
| Aroha Savage | 2022 | [31] [32] |
| Ruahei Demant | 2023 | [33] |
| Maiakawanakaulani Roos | 2024 | |
| Ruahei Demant |
| Coach | Period | G | W | D | L | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willie Walker | 2022– | 15 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 53.33% |
| Totals (2022–present) * | 15 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 53.33% | |
| Updated to: 13 April 2024 | ||||||
Notes:
Aroha Savage is a rugby union player. She plays for New Zealand and Auckland. She previously played for the Blues Women in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition. She has competed for the Black Ferns at three Rugby World Cup's — 2010, 2014 and 2017.
Theresa Matauaina Fitzpatrick is a New Zealand rugby union player. She was a member of the Black Ferns champion 2017 and 2021 Rugby World Cup squads. She has also represented New Zealand in rugby sevens; she won gold medals at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and Rugby World Cup Sevens. She played for the Blues Women in the 2022 Super Rugby Aupiki season.Since her marriage in December 2023 she has used the surname, Setefano.
Aldora Itunu is a rugby union player from New Zealand. She was part of the Black Ferns team that won the 2017 Rugby World Cup in Ireland. She plays for the Blues Women in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition, and has made 50 appearances for the Auckland Storm in the Farah Palmer Cup.
Eloise Blackwell is a New Zealand rugby union player. She was a member of New Zealand's squad at the 2014 Rugby World Cup, and was also a part of their champion 2017 side. She also plays for the Blues Women in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Auckland provincially.
Krystal Murray is a dual code international rugby player for New Zealand. She competed for the Kiwi Ferns at the 2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup in Australia. She then made her test debut for the Black Ferns in 2021, she was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad. She also plays for Hurricanes Poua in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Northland provincially.
Super Rugby Aupiki is a professional women's rugby union club competition in New Zealand. Its inaugural season was held in March 2022. It is a steppingstone between the Farah Palmer Cup and the Black Ferns. Aupiki translates as ‘the ascent to the upper most realm’.
Matatū is a New Zealand women's professional rugby union team that competes in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition. Matatū represents the South Island, specifically the regions covered by the Crusaders and the Highlanders. They are governed by the Crusaders. They were crowned champions of the 2023 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. 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.
Maiakawanakaulani Roos is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays as a Lock for the Black Ferns internationally and was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad. She also plays for the Blues Women in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Auckland provincially.
Tanya Kalounivale is a Fijian-born New Zealand rugby union player. She plays at tighthead prop for Waikato and Manurewa Women’s Rugby Club. She was part of the Black Ferns champion 2021 Rugby World Cup squad. She plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
Luka Connor is a New Zealand rugby union player. She was part of the Black Ferns 2021 Rugby World Cup squad that won their sixth title. She plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition; she also plays for the Bay of Plenty Volcanix in the Farah Palmer Cup and club rugby for Rangataua.
Liana Mikaele-Tu'u is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for the Black Ferns internationally and was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad. She also plays for Blues Women in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition. She played for Hawke's Bay previously before moving to Auckland.
Patricia Maliepo is a New Zealand rugby union player. She is a first five-eighth for Auckland and New Zealand.
Cristo Tofa is a New Zealand rugby union player. She has played two tests for the Black Ferns; she currently plays for Hurricanes Poua in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition, having previously played for the Blues Women.
Krysten Cottrell is a New Zealand rugby union player. She made her international debut for New Zealand in 2018. She also plays for the Blues Women in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Hawke's Bay provincially.
Tafito Lafaele is a New Zealand rugby union player. She made her Black Ferns test debut in 2022. She plays for the Blues Women in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Auckland provincially.
The Chiefs Manawa are a New Zealand women's professional rugby union team based in Hamilton, New Zealand that competes in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
Chryss Viliko is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for the Blues Women in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
Olivia Ward-Duin is a New Zealand rugby union player.
The 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki season was the second season of Super Rugby Aupiki, 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.
