| Union | New Zealand Rugby |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2021 |
| Location | Hamilton, New Zealand |
| Region | Bay of Plenty Counties Manukau Waikato Taranaki |
| Coach(es) | Crystal Kaua |
| Captain(s) | Kennedy Simon |
| League(s) | Super Rugby Aupiki |
| 2024 | Runners-up |
| Official website | |
| www | |
The Chiefs Manawa (officially called the Waitomo Chiefs Manawa for sponsorship reasons) are a New Zealand women's professional rugby union team based in Hamilton, New Zealand that competes in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition. [1]
Chiefs Manawa won the inaugural season of the Super Rugby Aupiki competition. They went undefeated throughout the season and beat the Blues Women 35–0 in the final round to claim the title. [2] [3] [4] [5]
In 2023 they continued their winning streak throughout the regular season, however were defeated by Matatū in the final.
The Chiefs and Blues women created history when they clashed in the first-ever women's Super Rugby match in New Zealand on 1 May 2021. [6] [7] The game was hosted by the Blues at Eden Park and was played as a double header before the Round 10 Super Rugby Aotearoa match between their men's teams. [6] [7] The Chiefs were sponsored by the Waitomo Group, which is a Waikato-based fuel company, and were named Waitomo Wahine Chiefs. [7]
The Chiefs proved too good for the Blues women and dealt them a major defeat in their historic match. [8] [9] They won 39–12 as both teams exhibited their skills and scored some impressive tries. [8] [9]
On 6 October 2021, New Zealand Rugby confirmed an elite Four-team women's competition called Super Rugby Aupiki for March 2022. [10] [11] [12] The competition would run for four weeks with the women being paid for their participation. [13] [14] [12]
The Chiefs released a list of player signings along with the other three teams in November 2021. [15] [16] [17] The coaching set-up was announced later with Allan Bunting named as Head Coach, he would be assisted by Crystal Kaua and Rodney Gibbs. [18] [19] [20]
The Chiefs unveiled their new name and the jersey the women's team would be using in the inaugural season of Super Rugby Aupiki. It was revealed that the team would be known as Chiefs Manawa. The word Manawa is derived from two words – mana and wāhine. The Chiefs Mana being a "central pillar of the club and wāhine being the most identifiable feature of the team." [21] [22] [23]
Newly appointed Head coach, Allan Bunting, led the process of developing the new team identity together with the Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan, New Zealand Rugby's Māori cultural advisor Luke Crawford, Chiefs jersey designer Dave Burke, Chiefs general manager Kate Rawnsley and a number of players. [21] [22] [23]
The team jersey was also unveiled at the same time, the most important aspect of the design is the mangōpare (the hammerhead shark) – the design depicting "determination and tenacity"; When viewed from another angle the pattern depicts the Manawa (beating heart) shape. Incorporated into the jersey is the Te Raranga Harakeke – the flax weave - "which connects to the more feminine art of weaving." It sits in behind the flowing design of the kōwhaiwhai pattern which "represents the connecting waterways flowing in the Chiefs contributing regions." [21] [22] [23]
Chiefs Manawa played Matatū in a pre-season game ahead of the inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki season, they won a 28–20. [24] [25]
Chiefs Manawa faced Matatū again in the opening match of the Super Rugby Aupiki season. They were victorious after a hard-fought match with a score of 17–15. [26] [27] They then met Hurricanes Poua in round two, they ran in five tries to win their second game 29–8 and remain unbeaten. [28] [29]
The final round saw them face-off against the Blues as they kept them scoreless with a 35–0 win and crowned the first champions of Super Rugby Aupiki. [30] [31]
Crystal Kaua was appointed as the new Head Coach of Chiefs Manawa for the 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki season. [32] [33] [34] The Chiefs Rugby Club announced that the Chiefs Manawa would play in the same jersey as the men's team to solidify them as a part of the club and to continue to push for equal opportunities in rugby. [35]
On 28 November 2023, the squad for the 2024 Super Rugby Aupiki season was announced. [36] [37]
| Chiefs Super Rugby Aupiki squad | ||
|---|---|---|
Props Hookers Locks | Loose forwards Halfbacks (scrum-halves) First five-eighths (fly-halves) | Midfielders (centres) Outside backs |
| (c) Denotes team Captain, Bold denotes internationally capped, SP denotes a shadow player and ST indicated short-term cover. | ||
| Coach | Period | Ref |
|---|---|---|
 Les Elder | 2022 | [38] |
| Kennedy Simon | 2023–Present | [39] |
| Coach | Period | G | W | D | L | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allan Bunting | 2022 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Crystal Kaua | 2023–Present | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 66.66% |
| Totals (2022–present) * | 15 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 73.33% | |
| Updated to: 13 April 2024 | ||||||
Notes:
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.
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.
Pia Tapsell is a New Zealand rugby union player. She played as a Loose forward for the Black Ferns and plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
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.
Angel Mulu is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays at Prop for the Black Ferns internationally and for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
The Blues Women's team is a New Zealand professional women's rugby union team based in Auckland, New Zealand that competes in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
Hurricanes Poua are a New Zealand women's professional rugby union team based in Wellington, New Zealand that competes in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
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.
Chyna Hohepa is a New Zealand rugby union and sevens player. She plays Lock for the Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition, and for Waikato provincially. She has also represented New Zealand in sevens and touch.
Mererangi Paul is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and for Counties Manukau in the Farah Palmer Cup.
Lucy Jenkins is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for Matatū in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and for Canterbury in the Farah Palmer Cup.
Layla Sae is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for Hurricanes Poua in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and for Manawatu in the Farah Palmer Cup.
