Waratahs taking hard route to another title sets new buzz for Blues clash

When Waratahs skipper Emily Chancellor accepted the Super Rugby Women’s trophy and addressed the hard route the side had taken to get to their seventh title, it was hard not to miss the rousing cheer from her teammates that proved the doubters wrong.

While their dominance of the 2025 Super Rugby Women’s season was followed by a 36-5 loss to the Blues in the inaugural Super Rugby Champions Final, the follow up fixture this weekend at Leichhardt Oval has a different feeling for the women in sky blue.

With the Blues winning at the death 28-21 over Matat? in Christchurch, both teams will come into the match having claimed a three-peat in their respective tournaments.

Despite the Kiwi champions likely expected to be favourites, the Waratahs have run them close on several occasions, most recently a 36-all draw in Auckland in the 2025 preseason.

With the Waratahs coming from behind to win the 2026 title, head coach Mike Ruthven believes the pressure galvanised his side to find a new level of performance.

“There was probably a little bit of pressure after those two losses,” Ruthven said following the team announcement on Wednesday.

“As a collective: coaches and players, we worked incredibly hard.

“We reflected internally really well. We made sure we came away from that with some really tangible things that we could focus our energy and time on.

“The playing group deserves a huge amount of credit. They invested in that. They bought into it. They went and trained it and that translated into performance. I think those weeks have certainly benefited us in the long run.”

The sentiment was echoed by player of the final Faliki Pohiva, the close-knit nature of the group enabling those honest conversations to lead to a swift turnaround.

“I just really love this team. We get around each other,” Pohiva added.

“We know each other so well. Even though we are a diverse group, we just love each other so much. I don’t know how to explain it, but I just love a group that can get around each other regardless of our highs and lows.

“Having the confidence to back what we’ve been training for this whole season, we’ve really grown stronger, especially after our losses.”

The side will be taking the field this weekend without Desiree Miller, the Wallaroo winger ruled out due to a calf injury sustained in Ba.

However, the omission gives the opportunity for Amelia Whittaker to come into the starting side, the youngster having enjoyed a breakout year in both NextGen 7s and in the Waratahs, scoring a double off the bench against the Drua in the final.

Lusiana Vesikula will come into the side to fill in Whittaker’s spot on the bench, the Waratah head coach opting to keep the rest of his side unchanged, especially with a complete Wallaroo front row.

The match at Leichhardt will also mark the final match of Emily Robinson’s distinguished career, the 24 capped-Wallaroo and 40-capped Waratah having featured in nearly every single match since the competition’s inception.

“That achievement alone is something that people look up to, especially myself,” Pohiva said of Robinson.

“She’s the loudest in the room. She brings a lot of enjoyment. Horse is an incredibly caring individual as well,” Ruthven added.

“To play the number of games she has is a credit to her character, her resilience, her ability to perform at a high level. It’s a fitting way for her to finish up her career and hopefully we can go and put in a performance that just reflects everything that she’s given the jersey.”

Having sustained those losses against the Western Force and Queensland Reds has not only led to success in Super Rugby Women’s, but has also led to a very different preparation compared to 2025, with the Waratahs more aware of the task in front of them.

“The fixture being at home, not having to travel, the final being on a Saturday, it’s certainly different and certainly helps us in terms of our prep,” Ruthven added.

“There’s a different mindset in the playing group this year.

“The players post-final have responded really well in terms of the challenge we’ve got this week and the opportunity that’s in front of them.

“We know the challenge that they present, but it’s a challenge that we’re really excited to take on.

“We’re certainly not putting any emphasis or energy into the fact that we’re underdogs this week.

“This is a challenge and an opportunity that we’re genuinely excited about and genuinely think we can win.”

An exciting opportunity looms for Pohiva, the 11-capped Wallaroo having missed the ANZAC Test match earlier this year but being no stranger to a side stacked with Black Ferns, their last three Trans-Tasman fixtures featuring a marked improvement in the Australian set piece.

That is before you add in her growing reputation for big hits and barnstorming performances in general play.

“I really back my forwards to go against theirs in all aspects, honestly,” Pohiva said.

“We can go against them and show them what we’re made of… That’s why I love rugby. I just love the contact.

“If they’re coming at me, I’m going to come at them… they don’t shy away from me and I don’t shy away from them.”