Matatū beat Blues to book Super Rugby Aupiki final against Chiefs Manawa

Kendra Reynolds scored the opening try for Matatū. Photo / Photosport

Matatū have gone from winless in 2022 to finalists in 2023, sealing a Super Rugby Aupiki final showdown with Chiefs Manawa after a 26-23 win over the Blues.

While competitive in all three matches in their debut season, Matatū failed to win any of them, but that changed from the start this year, beating the Blues 33-31 in their opener, before tight defeats to the Hurricanes Poua (25-24) and Chiefs Manawa (46-38) confirmed they were an improved team to be reckoned with.

That showed again today in their semifinal, following up their two-point win over the Blues with a three-point triumph in their rematch.

They will now have a chance for revenge against Chiefs Manawa, with the defending champions facing far less stress in advancing to the final with a comfortable 43-21 victory over the Hurricanes Poua.

Winger Cheyelle Robins-Reti was the star for Matatū with a hat-trick, including a 73rd-minute try which put the southerners in front for good.

They had earlier led 19-11 at halftime thanks to an opening try from Kendra Reynolds and a double from Robins-Reti, but the Blues struck twice after the break to take a 23-19 lead with 10 minutes remaining.

But Robins-Reti, a five-test Black Fern who moved south from the Hurricanes this season, was sent over in the corner, and Renee Holmes produced a brilliant conversion to give Matatū a bit more breathing room, which proved crucial when the Blues were given the chance for a shot at goal but opted to try win the game instead.

Despite facing some Blues barges, Matatū held on to book their place in the final.

The Chiefs had no such worries at the end of their clash, never trailing against the Hurricanes, who provided some fight but never looked likely to snag a victory.

Tenika Willison led the way with a 20-point haul that included two tries, the most pivotal being just before the hour.

The Hurricanes had just reduced the Chiefs’ lead to 28-21 when Willison struck to make it a two-score game, and a yellow card to Hurricanes and Black Ferns star Joanah Ngan-Woo with 12 minutes to go allowed the Chiefs to seal the deal.

Matatū 26 (Cheyelle Robins-Reti 3, Kendra Reynolds tries; Renee Holmes 3 con)

Blues 23 (Katelyn Vaha’akolo, Patricia Maliepo, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u tries; Krysten Cottrell con, 2 pens)

HT: 19-11.

Chiefs Manawa 43 (Tenika Willison 2, Carla Hohepa, Luka Connor, Kennedy Simon, Mererangi Paul tries; Willison 5 cons, Hazel Tubic pen)

Hurricanes Poua 21 (Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate, Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Layla Sae tries; Isabella Waterman 3 cons)

HT: 21-14.