Blues Women Explained

Teamname:Blues Women
League:Super Rugby Aupiki
Url:https://www.blues.rugby/
Pattern B1:_2022_Blues_Women
Pattern La1:_2022_Blues_Women
Pattern Ra1:_2022_Blues_Women
Shorts1:132c4e
Socks1:132c4e
Captain:Ruahei Demant & Maiakawanakaulani Roos
Region:Auckland
North Harbour
Northland
Location:Auckland, New Zealand
Union:New Zealand Rugby
Position:Champions
Season:2024

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]

History

Historic clash

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 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]

Super Rugby Aupiki announced

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]

Inaugural season

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]

2024 season

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.

Current squad

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)

  • Kahlia Awa
  • Mel Puckett

First five-eighths (fly-halves)

Midfielders (centres)

Outside backs

  • Kerri Johnson
  • Jaymie Kolose
  • Angelica Mekemeke Vahai
  • Tara-Leigh Turner
  • Daynah Nankivell
  • Katelyn Vaha′akolo
(cc) Denotes team co-captains, Bold denotes internationally capped, SP denotes a shadow player and ST indicated short-term cover.

Current coaches and management

Blues named their coaching group for the 2024 season of Super Rugby Aupiki.

Captain

CaptainPeriodRefs
Eloise Blackwell2021[30]
Aroha Savage2022[31] [32]
Ruahei Demant2023[33]
Maiakawanakaulani Roos2024
Ruahei Demant

Coach

! style="width:1.5em;"
Willie Walker2022–1581653.33%
Totals (2022–present)1581653.33%
Updated to: 13 April 2024
Notes:

Official Super Rugby Aupiki competition matches only, including finals.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 30 September 2021 . nib BACKING BLUES WOMEN . 22 August 2022 . The Blues . en-NZ.
  2. Web site: 6 October 2021 . Green light for Super Rugby Aupiki . 6 October 2021 . allblacks.com . en-NZ.
  3. News: 27 April 2021 . History in the making as Chiefs and Blues women prepare to play at Eden Park . 13 August 2022 . superrugby.co.nz . en-nz.
  4. 29 March 2021 . Blues and Chiefs combine for historic first women's clash . 3 April 2023 . allblacks.com . en-nz.
  5. News: 30 April 2021 . Blues and Chiefs women battle for Waipuea Taonga . 22 August 2022 . The Blues . en-nz.
  6. News: 14 April 2021 . Talent-laden NIB Blues women's squad named . 4 April 2023 . The Blues . en-nz.
  7. 29 April 2021 . nib Blues Women'S team excited for historic clash . 22 August 2022 . The Blues . en-nz.
  8. News: Burnes . Campbell . 1 May 2021 . Chiefs too good in historic Super women's clash . 13 August 2022 . allblacks.com . en-nz.
  9. Web site: 2021-10-05 . New Zealand Rugby confirms a Four-team women's Super Rugby Aupiki for March 2022 . 2022-08-13 . oceania.rugby . en.
  10. Web site: 2021-10-06 . NZR announces new women's Super Rugby competition . 2022-08-13 . NZ Herald . en-NZ.
  11. Web site: Nelson . Trudi . "This is a no-brainer": New Zealand Rugby launches elite women's competition . 2022-08-13 . www.sen.com.au . en.
  12. Web site: Pearson . Joseph . 2021-10-05 . Super Rugby Aupiki: Players will be paid in NZ Rugby's new elite women's competition . 2022-08-13 . Stuff . en.
  13. Web site: Voerman . Andrew . 2021-05-06 . New Zealand Rugby commits to launching new elite women's competition in 2022 . 2022-08-13 . Stuff . en.
  14. Web site: 2021-11-04 . Inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki squads announced . 2022-08-13 . superrugby.co.nz . en-GB.
  15. Web site: 2021-11-04 . Inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki squads announced . 2022-08-13 . NZ Herald . en-NZ.
  16. Web site: 2022-11-03 . Strong coaches line up for Super Rugby Aupiki . 2022-08-22 . Blues Rugby . en-NZ.
  17. Web site: 2022-03-07 . SKY SUPER RUGBY AUPIKI - ROUND ONE UPDATE . 2022-08-22 . Blues Rugby . en-NZ.
  18. Web site: 2022-03-07 . Hurricanes Poua pull out of first round of Super Rugby Aupiki . 2022-08-22 . NZ Sports Wire . en-NZ.
  19. Web site: 2022-03-07 . Covid causes Super Rugby Aupiki opener cancellation . 2022-08-22 . RNZ . en-nz.
  20. Web site: 2022-03-15 . PREVIEW: Sky Super Rugby Aupiki Round 2 . 2022-08-22 . superrugby.co.nz . en-GB.
  21. Web site: 2022-03-14 . LONG WAIT OVER AS nib BLUES SET FOR SKY SUPER RUGBY AUPIKI DEBUT . 2022-08-22 . Blues Rugby . en-NZ.
  22. Web site: Burnes . Campbell . 2022-03-15 . Blues full of merit in downing Matatū . 2022-08-22 . superrugby.co.nz . en-GB.
  23. Web site: 2022-03-18 . TEAM NAMING nib BLUES v CHIEFS MANAWA . 2022-08-22 . Blues Rugby . en-NZ.
  24. Web site: 2022-03-18 . Experienced pair return for key clash for nib Blues . 2022-08-22 . superrugby.co.nz . en-GB.
  25. Web site: Burnes . Campbell . 2022-03-20 . Chiefs Manawa crowned Sky Super Rugby Aupiki champs . 2022-08-22 . superrugby.co.nz . en-GB.
  26. Web site: 2024-04-13 . Super Rugby Aupiki final recap: Blues Women v Chiefs Manawa . 2024-04-13 . RNZ . en-nz.
  27. Web site: Pearson . Joseph . 2024-04-13 . Blues storm home with late show to beat Chiefs Manawa for first Super Rugby Aupiki title . 2024-04-13 . www.stuff.co.nz.
  28. Web site: 2023-11-28 . nib BLUES 2024 SQUAD . 2023-12-21 . Blues Rugby . en-NZ.
  29. Web site: 2023-11-28 . Super Rugby Aupiki: Squads announced for the extended 2024 competition . 2023-12-21 . Stuff . en.
  30. Web site: 2021-04-14 . TALENT-LADEN nib BLUES WOMEN'S SQUAD NAMED . 2022-08-22 . Blues Rugby . en-NZ.
  31. Web site: 2022-02-28 . MOTHER OF TWINS RETURNS TO LEAD nib BLUES . 2022-08-22 . Blues Rugby . en-NZ.
  32. Web site: McFadden . Suzanne . 2022-03-03 . Captain's twins the Blues' secret weapon . 2022-08-22 . Newsroom . en-AU.
  33. Web site: 2023-02-19 . SUPER RUGBY AUPIKI TEAM PREVIEWS: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW... . 2023-03-18 . The Black Jersey. en-NZ.

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