Super Rugby Aupiki’s second round starts with the Blues hosting the Chiefs Manawa in Albany on Saturday.
The semi-professional competition is back after a difficult season last year because of Covid-19’s disruptive impact.
There are five rounds for the New Zealand sides and matches will be played across the country through to the finale in Hamilton on March 25.
The line-ups for Saturday’s two matches are below.
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Blues v Chiefs Manawa
Saturday, 2:05pm at North Harbour Stadium, Albany
Blues
Blues coach Willie Walker has made three changes to his team’s starting lineup as they look to bounce back from last weekend’s narrow loss to Matatū.
Their task doesn’t get any easier this Saturday, at home at North Harbour Stadium against Chiefs Manawa, who beat Hurricanes Poua comprehensively in their first match.
Black Fern Patricia Maliepo will start at No 12 in place of Hayley Hutana, who drops out of the matchday 23 entirely.
Joe Allison/Getty Images
Patricia Maliepo has been rewarded for her impact off the bench in round one against Matatū.
The other changes come in the forward pack, with Maama Vaipulu replacing Eloise Blackwell at lock and Shannon Leota coming in for Tafito Lafaele at No 7.
Having missed the Blues’ season opener while dealing with the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle on Hawke’s Bay, where she is based, Krysten Cotterll comes onto the bench as a reserve back.
“There were some really encouraging signs from game one and I think we showed what we’re capable of with ball in hand,” Walker said.
“It’s just about making a few small adjustments to be at our best against the defending champions this weekend.”
Blues: Kiritapu Demant, Jaymie Kolose, Sylvia Brunt, Patricia Maliepo, Katelynn Vahaakolo, Ruahei Demant (c), Ariana Bayler; Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Shannon Leota, Charmaine McMenamin, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Maama Vaipulu, Esther Faiaoga-Tilo, Grace Gago, Chryss Viliko. Reserves: Alakoka Po’oi, Toka Natua, Sophie Fisher, Eloise Blackwell, Tafito Lafaele, Melanie Puckett, Krysten Cottrell, Tara Turner.
Chiefs Manawa
Black Ferns prop Awhina Tangen-Wainohu’s return from injury is the only change coach Crystal Kaua has made to their starting XV from last Saturday’s resounding 53-21 win against the Hurricanes.
Tangen-Wainohu played in last year’s Rugby World Cup-winning campaign and starts at loosehead in an international front row with Luka Connor and Tanya Kalounivale.
Connor scored a hat-trick of tries amongst the seven the Chiefs’ forwards scored in an emphatic opening win for the defending champions.
Andrew Cornaga/PHOTOSPORT
Awhina Tangen-Wainohu running at Australia’s defence for the Black Ferns at last year’s World Cup/
Angel Mulu, another loosehead who played for the Black Ferns last season but didn’t make the World Cup squad, also returns from injury and is named on the bench.
Black Ferns tighthead prop Santo Taumata is unavailable this week because of injury.
Wellington playmaker Amanda Rasch has been added to the bench and is poised for her Manawa debut.
Chiefs: Tenika Willison, Mererangi Paul, Carla Hohepa, Azalleyah Maaka, Georgia Daals, Hazel Tubic, Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu; Kennedy Simon (c), Tynealle Fitzgerald, Charmaine Smith, Chelsea Bremner, Kelsie Thwaites, Tanya Kalounivale, Luka Connor, Awhina Tangen-Wainohu. Reserves: Grace Houpapa-Barrett, Angel Mulu, Kate Henwood, Dhys Faleafaga, Victoria Makea, Violet Hapi-Wise, Amanda Rasch, Apii Nicholls.
Matatū v Hurricanes Poua
Saturday, 4:35pm at Ngā Puna Wai, Christchurch
Matatū
Coach Blair Baxter has the luxury of naming an unchanged starting XV for Matatū’s first home match in Christchurch.
Captain Alana Bremner, who played at lock for the Black Ferns last year, remains at lock.
Joe Allison/Getty Images
Alana Bremner scoring against the Blues.
Nine of the starting line-up have played for the Black Ferns since 2021 – eight did so last season – and the impressive combination of Rosie Kelly and Di Hiini will resume at first five-eighth and halfback respectively.
There are three changes to their bench, with loose forward Emma Dermody set for her Matatū debut.
Prop Steph Te-Ohaere Fox and playmaker Terauoiwa Gapper are the other additions to the 23.
Matatū: Renee Holmes, Cheyelle Robins-Reti, Amy du Plessis, Grace Brooker, Martha Mataele, Rosie Kelly, Di Hiini; Marcelle Parkes, Kendra Reynolds, Lucy Jenkins, Cindy Nelles, Alana Bremner (c), Amy Rule, Georgia Ponsonby, Phillipa Love. Reserves: Natalie Delamere, Ona Palu, Steph Te-Ohaere Fox, Sera Naiqama, Emma Dermody, Georgia Cormick, Terauoiwa Gapper, Grace Steinmetz.
Hurricanes Poua
Coach Victoria Grant has opted for several changes in response to their heavy defeat against the Chiefs in round one.
One is enforced, with injured captain Jackie Patea-Fereti replaced at lock by Rachael Rakatau, but there are two of great significance promoted to start from the bench.
Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali, a World Cup winner with the Black Ferns in 2017, is named at second five-eighth.
Kerry Marshall/Getty Images
Kaipo Olsen-Baker is promoted to start at No 8.
Kaipo Olsen-Baker, who played two tests for the Black Ferns last season, starts at No 8 after her successful comeback from a knee injury last Saturday.
Olsen-Baker was player of the match in her first two tests last June, against Australia and Canada, before missing out on the World Cup squad because of injury.
League convert Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly has been picked on the right wing for her Hurricanes debut, as has Wellington loose forward Maddie Feaunati but on the bench.
Hurricanes: Isabella Waterman, Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly, Shakira Baker, Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali, Ayesha Leti-I’iga, Carys Dallinger, Iritana Hohaia; Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Rhiarna Ferris, Layla Sae, Rachael Rakatau (c), Joanah Ngan-Woo, Cilia-Marie Po’e-Tofaeono, Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate, Krystal Murray. Reserves: Saphire Abraham, Sosoli Talawadua, Cristo Tofa, Kahurangi Sturmey, Maddie Feaunati, Milly Mackey, Monica Tagoai, Crystal Mayes.
