Portia Woodman-Wickliffe intercept seals Aupiki championship for Blues

Finals football took centre stage at Eden Park as Super Rugby Aupiki’s finest collided to decide how the competition’s 2025 chapter would end.

A game of runs kept fans and players alike guessing, but the Blues were more clinical with their chances and starring performances across the park, none more so than fullback Braxton Sorensen-Mcgee, saw the hosts claim their second consecutive Super Rugby Aupiki title.

The Blues’ defence was bruising early, leaving both Kaea Nepia and Amy du Plessis limping back into the action.

The Matatu attack took the shots on the chin though and after some powerful carries from Moomooga Palu got them on the front foot, the ball went wide where significant metres were made.

It was Winnie Palamo who continued her remarkable season with the ball in hand to score the opening try of the game, using her speed to reach the corner and then drag a defender over the line.

The Blues were often found overzealous at the breakdown in the opening quarter, facilitating Matatu’s momentum.

Some stoic defence from Braxton Sorensen-Mcgee stalled the Matatu onslaught momentarily, but it wasn’t long until du Plessis got her side another seven points.

A forward pass from Palu then handed the Blues a scrum on halfway, where the hosts went to work before putting the ball through the hands. Ruahei Demant was in support to finish an electric break down the right edge.

The hosts found their mojo with that effort and scored again minutes later, with Chryss Viliko providing the finishing power after a Sorensen-Mcgee break.

Momentum looked to swing back in Matatu’s favour when Krysten Cottrell kicked the ball out on the full, but disjointed attack made way for another turnover and Katelyn Vahaakolo made short work of the defence down her right flank, bringing play back into Matatu’s half.

Bruising phase play ensued, and Matatu were forced into early substitutions. The visitors would wrestle possession back but struggled to exit under immense pressure.

Matatu were able to ride out the storm and head into the half with just a two-point deficit.

The second 40 kicked off with even more energy and vigour in the collisions, with 18-year-old Taufa Bason making a particularly impressive carry where she shrugged off numerous tacklers on the right edge.

Matatu continued to weather the storm and won consecutive penalties. That earned them a shot at a driving maul from close range, but the Blues were up to the challenge.

After 13 bruising minutes deep in Blues territory to start the second period, Matatu finally got their reward through Kaipo Olsen-Baker. Hannah King added the extras.

The Blues were quick to respond and went to Sorensen-Mcgee to get them back into the right end of the field. The fullback obliged with another damaging break. Moments later, the match’s inevitable Portia Woodman-Wickliffe try was scored under the posts.

The hosts had dialled in on their breakdown work in the second half, and Ruahei Demant continued to pull the strings expertly, having moved into first five following the introduction of Sylvia Brunt for Cottrel.

The 63rd minute saw a yellow card for Georgia Ponsonby, who was punished for an upright tackle attempt that resulted in a head clash with Bason.

The numbers were soon even though, with another head clash seeing Eloise Blackwell sent from the field, this time with a red card.

The Blues weren’t to be dismayed, though, and yet again, it was Braxton Sorensen-Mcgee who carved the Matatu defence open and, this time, skimmed the remaining chasers to score. The try made the scoreline 26-19 in the Blues’ favour with under 10 minutes remaining.

Matatu had made their way deep into Blues territory with five minutes remaining, but resolute defence held them out, and the Blues won what could have been a title-sealing turnover, were it not for a handling error after the following scrum.

Matatu were granted another chance and threw everything at the line, only to be held up. A goal-line dropout set up another Matatu attack, but again, the Blues held strong and wouldn’t let the visitors ground the ball over the line.

14 seconds remained when the Blues took the final dropout, and after surrendering some metres, who else but the woman, the myth, the legend, Portia Woodman Wickliffe, to claim an intercept and seal a championship for the Blues. Fulltime score: 26-19.