Super Rugby Aupiki final confirmed after Blues fend off Poua challenge

The Blues have held off a late playoff charge by the Hurricanes Poua to book their place in the 2026 Super Rugby Aupiki grand final against Matatu next weekend.

The final, which will be hosted at the new One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, will be played between the Blues and Matatu for the second year running, after the Auckland-based franchise were crowned the 2025 champions.

Prior to the top-of-the-table clash between the Blues and Matatu, the Hurricanes Poua took care of business against the Chiefs Manawa, 47-33, at Maidstone Park in Upper Hutt.

Astonishingly, it’s their fourth-straight Super Rugby Aupiki victory, which still wasn’t enough to make the grand final, even after posting their highest points total in a single match.

The game featured four lead changes across the 80-minute contest, with the Poua scoring seven tries to the Chiefs Manawa’s five.

Both teams traded to tries to begin the game through Neve Anglesey for the Hurricanes Poua and Olivia Holten for the Chiefs Manawa.

It was the Chiefs Manawa who then wrestled momentum into their favour, scoring back-to-back tries in the space of five minutes, with Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a and Leomie Kloppers crossing over the chalk.

A quick-fire Ayesha Leti-I’iga double, showcasing her world-class finishing ability, turned the game in the Poua’s favour as Vici Rose-Green was sent to the sin bin.

Despite the Chiefs Manawa’s push late on in the final round-robin clash, the Hurricanes Poua earned yet another victory, doing all they could to reach the 2026 final.

“It was good to get some good game time for everyone in the squad today, so that was cool,” Hurricanes Poua co-captain Te Rauoriwa Gapper told Sky Sport on Saturday in Upper Hutt.

“Good to be ready for hopefully another week and have a full 23 – we have a whole 30 that can come on at any time, but a little bit to work on there.”

Willie Walker’s Blues side, though, stood up when it counted most, and clinched yet another final berth with their 38-29 victory over Matatu in Christchurch.

Their star Black Ferns, Braxton Sorensen-McGee, Ruahei Demant and Katelyn Vahaakolo, all crossed at Nga Puna Wai on Saturday afternoon to help seal the victory.

But it wasn’t the start the visitors were looking for against Matatu, with Kaipo Olsen-Baker dotting down to open the scoring, with Maia Davis adding the extras.

Demant then hit back for the Blues, before Davis replied with a try of her own. It was a back-and-forth first half in Christchurch, with Olsen-Baker, Jaymie Kolose, and Taufa Bason all scoring in the final quarter of the first 40 minutes.

Neither team scored back-to-back tries in the contest, showcasing how close this battle was, and how neither team were letting up in search of the all-important momentum heading into next weekend’s final.

A second-half double by Sorensen-McGee was the difference, as the Blues held on to edge the Hurricanes Poua in the race for the final two.

Blues captain Maiakawanakaulani Roos said that although it’s been a difficult season, they’re where they want to be heading into next week.

“I’m really proud of this result and we’ve got another week to build,” Roos told Sky Sport.

“It’s been a really challenging season for us but I think the grit that we’ve shown, the determination and just the want to be better week on week for each other has gotten us to where we are now.”

The Super Rugby Aupiki grand final will be at 4:20pm on Saturday afternoon at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, between Matatu and the Blues.