Super Rugby Aupiki: Talking points after four rounds of the 2026 season

Super Rugby Aupiki is four rounds down, and the biggest surprise are the surging Hurricanes Poua, who have won two matches in a row for the first time in their history.

Defending champions the Blues have lost two in a row for the first time since 2023. Matatu looks like the team to beat and Chiefs Manawa are struggling. What are some of the major themes emerging after a month of Super Rugby Aupiki?

Hurricanes Poua Blowing Up

Hurricanes Poua hinted they would be more competitive when they stretched Matatu in wet, blustery conditions at Maidstone Park on Sunday 21 June.

A week later they rallied from 14-3 down and a red card to upset Chiefs Manawa for their first win in 12 matches and 840 days.

Could anybody have anticipated they would then win consecutive matches for the first time ever? They outclassed the Blues 45-30 while setting records for their biggest win, most points scored in a game, and most conversions and penalties.

In the Blues’ win, winger Wikitori Viljoen became the first Poua player to score a hat-trick. Previously, five other players had scored twice in a single game. Viljoen is the daughter of the late Maori All Black Sam Doyle, a pioneering male Hurricanes player in 1996.

What’s changed in the capital?

The biggest difference between the Poua this year and last is their residency at the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport (NZCIS), a world-class facility owned by major team sponsor Gillies Group.

NZCIS has hosted the All Blacks, Hurricanes men, Black Ferns, Phoenix football and countless sporting stars. Previously, Hurricanes players were scattered far and wide, making training more difficult. Meanwhile, the Blues, Matatu, and Chiefs Manawa had a large concentration of players in the central cities of Auckland, Hamilton, and Christchurch. This reality was acknowledged by the co-captain Te Rauoriwa Gapper after the win against the Blues.

“The centralising has been great for us. We’ve been able to work together and train together a lot more, which has been really good. There are still some really big things we need to work on but the trust we have in each other is there.”

Head coach Hayden Triggs and assistant coaches, Rugby World Cup-winning Black Ferns Mel Bossman and Emma Jensen, have been bold with their selections. Halfback Iritana Hohaia at fullback was daring, not entirely successful but at least an attempt to shake things up.

Renee Holmes at first-five has been a masterstroke, the Poua’s most experienced Black Fern driving the game and kicking like Thomas Ramos, 14 goals from the last 15 attempts. The Poua have scored five fewer tries than Manawa but have two more wins.

Young, hungry talent has been backed to express themselves. Viljoen is on fire. Blindside Anahera Hamahona was a powerhouse against the Blues. She won a 2025 Super Rugby W title with the Warathas. Locks Sam Taylor and Stacey Niao both rank in the top ten of the competition for tackles and lineouts won, providing the Poua pack with a sturdy spine.

Utility back Arene Landon-Lane is one to watch and despite missing the Blues game, Black Ferns dynamo Ayesha Leti-I’iga is seeing plenty of the ball, ranking in the top ten for defenders beaten and metres gained.

By winning two games, the Poua have already exceeded expectations. Can they carry on the momentum?

Chiefs Manawa Season Goes from Bad to Worse

In contrast to the Poua, Manawa have suffered a record four consecutive defeats and were down 31-5 at halftime against Matatu on Saturday. Adding to their troubles, Black Ferns co-captain Kennedy Tukuafu has been ruled out for six months with a hamstring injury.

Manawa have the worst defence, conceding 154 points. They are the least efficient team with possession, making the most carries at 553 but the fewest clean breaks with 22.

Manawa’s best is very good. Tries in ten minutes to Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a, Ariana Bayler, and Louise Blyde closed the gap to seven against Matatu approaching the last quarter. However, the gap between Manawa’s best and worst is extreme. This was best illustrated in the Poua game when they completely went off the boil with bad decisions and even worse handling.

An initially young squad, with 13 possible debutants at the start of the season, always faced a rebuilding challenge. However, failing to win a single match would be a disaster.

Black Ferns hooker Vici-Rose Green has been solid. Chyna Hohepa is 36 but could be mistaken for being at least a decade younger, while Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a has been the most promising back. She has run for more meters than any other player and ranks in the top ten for carries, clean breaks, defenders beaten, and offloads.

Kaipo Olsen-Baker Stats Queen, Say No More

So far, Matatu are the best team and it’s little wonder they have the best player, Black Ferns No.8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker. She ranks in the top ten of almost every important statistical category.

Tries: 5 (1)
Points: 25 (3)
Carries: 65 (2)
Clean Breaks: 3 (10)
Defenders Beaten: 13 (4)
Tackles: 72 (1)

Blink and you’ll miss Binky

Matatu’s round three clash against the Blues was settled by a rookie that you’ll hear more about. Trailing 21-20 in the 70th minute replacement winger Binky Muamua beat Black Ferns Sevens speedstar Jaymie Kolose on the outside and raced into open space. After an electrifying 45-metre run, Amarante Sititi made a crucial covering tackle. From the ensuing recycle, Hannah King crossed untouched.

Muamua, 19, scored 11 tries in six matches for Canterbury in the 2025 Farah Palmer Cup. She has been in the New Zealand Under-20s system and is similar in build, speed and approach to Ayesha Leti-I’iga.

King was superb from the tee in the game, landing all five attempts, including a sideline conversion. She is driving a backline that’s scored 20 tries in four games with commanding authority and poise.

Are the Blues Faltering?

Selections have been consistent but playing form has not. The Blues failed to convert all six tries against the Poua and fell to a 17-0 deficit in as many minutes to Matatu. Captain Maia Ross, who was yellow-carded against Matatu, bemoaned the lack of discipline in the Grand Final replay defeat.

“They got down the field off our mistakes and our ball retention, so that will be a big focus for us this week, being more clinical.”

The week before in their unconvincing 27-26 win against Chiefs Manawa, Ross observed: “To be honest, it was pretty ugly, but we gutted it out and were able to get our processes together towards the end and I think that’s what got us the dub.”

Is the burden of being twice-defending champions somehow crippling the Blues? Are some Black Ferns who played PWR a touch tired? Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Ruahei Demant, Ross don’t look tired, but their workload is heavier than ever. What tactical adjustments can the Blues make to improve outcomes?