Sky Super Rugby Aupiki finals race alive after Poua comeback
Sky Super Rugby Aupiki Round Five: Finals race wide open
A monumental 33-31 comeback by Hurricanes Poua to stun unbeaten Matatū in Timaru means the race for a place in the 2026 Sky Super Rugby Aupiki final remains unsettled. Matatū, Hurricanes Poua and the Blues, after their 42-26 win over Chiefs Manawa, remain in contention with one round of the regular season remaining.
Hurricanes Poua stage remarkable comeback to stun Matatū
Hurricanes Poua: 33 (Renee Holmes, Neve Anglesey, Arene Landon-Lane, Iritana Hohaia tries; Holmes 4 conversions)
Matatū: 31 (Alena Saili, Pip Love, Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Grace Brooker, Maia Davis tries; Maia Joseph 3 conversions)
Half-time: 12-19
"Does an angel contemplate my fate?" Hurricanes Poua might have asked themselves in the 80th minute when Matatū fed a defensive scrum 15 metres from their own line with one requirement: secure, clear and win the game 31-26.
Despite a tackle count rising faster than natural bamboo growth, the southerners seemed to have done enough to hold off the dogged visitors. Instead, the hosts' scrum came under immense pressure from an Angel called Mulu. A tighthead penalty saw the relentless Poua barrage continue. The phase count hit extraordinary numbers multiple times in the second half: 15, 12, 13 and 16.
Hurricanes Poua charged, wriggled, crawled and shouted forward until Mulu, positioned to the right of the posts and held by two defenders, summoned the strength to slam the ball over the whitewash.
Renee Holmes lined up the conversion from directly in front, five metres out. There was no chance it would miss. The first player in Sky Super Rugby Aupiki history to reach 200 points sent the ball soaring three-quarters of the way up the posts as Hurricanes Poua secured a record third consecutive victory to remain firmly in finals contention.
Matatū, meanwhile, were left to reflect on a courageous performance that only just fell short.
"We talked about shocking the system. We shocked ourselves," Hurricanes Poua forward, Angel Mulu told Sky Sport. "There was some talk that we're the leftovers. If that's the case, we're leaving no crumbs."
"Speechless. Man, this team hasn't been great playing to the 80th minute. Today we played until the 82nd," Renee Holmes added.
Hurricanes Poua captain Te Rauoriwa Gapper summed it up simply: "That's culture, aye."
Matatū race to an early 19-point advantage
Earlier, a packed and sun-soaked Fraser Park in Timaru was buzzing as the unbeaten hosts surged to a 19-0 lead in 23 minutes.
Matatū even had the referee scrambling. Unfortunately, Erin Doherty was accidentally collided with in the ninth minute and left the field injured, replaced by Warwick Lahmert.
That incident did little to slow Matatū's momentum. Three tries in the next 12 minutes all appeared straightforward. Black Ferns halfback Maia Joseph set up winger Alena Saili with a bullet pass that skipped two defenders. Prop Pip Love scored her fourth try in 24 games, before No. 8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker powered through three defenders to give the hosts a commanding advantage.
Hurricanes Poua scrum and resilience spark second-half revival
Poua's scrum, coupled with the leadership of Iritana Hohaia and Holmes, became the catalyst for the comeback.
A free-kick sparked momentum before Hohaia and Holmes combined at close range.
Rugged openside Neve Anglesey isn't typically known for flashy moments, but her try, brushing aside three defenders in one movement, was highlight-reel material.
Hurricanes Poua's power and precision after the interval were scarcely believable. A 49th-minute try from a scrum move involving a Wikitoria Viljoen injection and two swift passes to Arene Landon-Lane drew Poua level at 19-19.
An error from the restart allowed Grace Brooker to respond almost immediately for Matatū. A pass deflected off a Poua defender and was gathered by the captain, with Joseph converting to restore a 26-19 lead.
Soon Hurricanes Poua established camp deep inside Matatū territory. It became a relentless black-and-yellow onslaught. Mo'omo'oga Palu, Sam Taylor, Stacey Niao, Anahera Hamahona and Brianna Wallace aren't Black Ferns, but performances of this quality will only strengthen their claims with national selectors.
In the 68th minute, Hohaia crashed over near the posts to draw Hurricanes Poua level. Holmes' routine conversion made it 26-26.
Cruelly for the visitors, Holmes' clearance from the restart was charged down. Somehow Hohaia recovered and cleared, but when Emma Dermody stole the subsequent lineout, Olsen-Baker was unleashed once more. With space out wide, Joseph quickly identified the opportunity and Maia Davis crossed untouched.
Mulu's late heroics seal unforgettable Hurricanes Poua victory
Back came Hurricanes Poua, with Mulu's dramatic late try destined to become part of Hurricanes Poua folklore.
Brooker was gracious in defeat, saying Matatū had plenty to be proud of. She admitted she was surprised by the possession and territory statistics while acknowledging there were opportunities for her side to improve its discipline in key moments.
Watch Sky Super Rugby Highlights: Matatū v Hurricanes Poua
Blues overpower Chiefs Manawa to stay in finals contention
Blues: 42 (Maama Vaipulu, Tara Turner, Danny-Elle Fesolai, Sylvia Brunt, Hollyrae Mete-Renata, Amarante Sititi tries; Ruahei Demant 6 conversions)
Chiefs Manawa: 26 (Mia Anderson 2, Shyrah Tuliau-Tua'a 2 tries; Carys Dallinger 2, Ariana Bayler conversions)
Half-time: 28-14
The Blues returned to winning ways with their biggest-ever victory over Chiefs Manawa, claiming a 42-26 win at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei on Friday night.
The Blues' success was built on an imperious scrum and a more abrasive, clinical performance. Chiefs Manawa showed encouraging patches throughout but were ultimately undone by costly handling errors.
Dominant scrum lays platform for fast Blues start
The Blues surged to a 21-0 lead after just 17 minutes, with all three tries originating from dominant scrum platforms. Front-rowers Chryss Viliko, Atlanta Lolohea and Aldora Itunu laid an outstanding foundation, consistently generating momentum for the visitors.
Back from suspension, lock Maama Vaipulu opened the scoring after six minutes, barrelling over following another powerful scrum carry from No. 8 Liana Mikaele-Tu'u.
Chiefs Manawa found themselves under further pressure two minutes later when Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu was sin-binned for a professional foul after illegally slowing quick ball at a ruck.
Another dominant scrum produced seven more points as halfback Tara Turner cleverly looped behind Mikaele-Tu'u to exploit a gap in the defensive line.
Chiefs Manawa also lost blindside flanker Olivia Holten to injury, adding to the visitors' challenge.
In the 17th minute, Blues openside Danny-Elle Fesolai celebrated her first start with a try, taking Jaymie Kolose's pass as the Blues stretched the defence. Once again, the scrum provided the platform, while elusive midfielder Hollyrae Mete-Renata asked plenty of questions with ball in hand.
Incisive attack from fullback Manaia Nuku sparked optimism for Chiefs Manawa. In the 29th minute, halfback Ariana Bayler darted 20 metres from a scrum before captain Mia Anderson finished strongly.
The Blues again showcased their forward dominance in the 33rd minute with a driving maul that finished just short of the line. A quick recycle followed, allowing second five Sylvia Brunt to carry three defenders over for the bonus-point try.
Chiefs Manawa fight back but Blues hold firm
Chiefs Manawa enjoyed their best spell of the opening half, earning four penalty advantages before Anderson crossed for her second try on the stroke of half-time.
The second half was more evenly contested, but the Blues consistently found another gear whenever required. Mete-Renata deservedly crossed the line, as did the explosive Amarante Sititi. Ruahei Demant controlled proceedings superbly and was flawless from the kicking tee, a significant improvement after the Blues missed all six conversion attempts the previous weekend.
Chiefs Manawa also gained valuable impact from the bench. Nicole Purdom, Jessie Wharekura and Shyrah Tuliau-Tua'a all lifted the intensity, with Tuliau-Tua'a's two tries among the highlights. Starting centre Justine McGregor grew into the contest, while Chyna Hohepa celebrated her 20th appearance with her customary physicality.
Blues finish strongly to keep finals hopes alive
The margin narrowed to 35-21 before the Blues responded decisively, with Tuliau-Tua'a's sin-bin proving a pivotal moment in the closing stages.
The result surpassed the Blues' previous biggest win over Chiefs Manawa, a 36-21 victory in 2025, and extended their advantage in the all-time rivalry to 6-4.
