Super Rugby Aupiki is a professional women’s rugby union national club competition in New Zealand. Its inaugural season commenced in March 2024. It is a steppingstone between the Farah Palmer Cup and the Black Ferns. Women’s rugby in New Zealand will open a new chapter on March 5 when the first-ever Super Rugby Aupiki match takes place at Eden Park.
First ever Matatū home games in Super Rugby Aupiki 2024
Two games on Matatū home soil are set to ignite Super Rugby Aupiki 2024 as the competition hits the ground running for its second season. Read more about super rugby pacific game from anywhere.
The season kicks off on 25 February with Hurricanes Poua taking on defending champs the Chiefs Manawa at Levin Domain, and Matatū facing the Blues at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.
New Zealand Rugby has also confirmed an extended five-week schedule, featuring 10 games, semifinals and a third/fourth playoff.
The match will act as a curtain-raiser to the Super Rugby Pacific clash between the men’s teams of each franchise, which is scheduled to kick-off at Eden Park later that afternoon.
How to watch Super Rugby Aupiki 2024
All 91 Super Rugby Aupiki games will be available to watch live on Stan.
You can sign up for the streaming service here.
The weekly Saturday night match will be simulcast live free-to-air on the Nine Network.
| Team | Coach | City | Stadium | Capacity | First season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blues | Willie Walker | Auckland, Auckland Region | Eden Park | 50,000 | 2022 |
| Chiefs | Allan Bunting | Hamilton, Waikato | FMG Stadium Waikato | 25,800 | 2022 |
| Hurricanes | Wesley Clarke | Wellington, Wellington Region | Sky Stadium | 34,500 | 2022 |
| Matatū | Blair Baxter | Christchurch, Canterbury | Orangetheory Stadium | 18,600 | 2022 |
Super Rugby Aupiki will feature almost 50 current or former Black Ferns players across the four squads. The Chiefs boast the most international experience, nudging slightly ahead of the Blues with almost 200 combined Black Ferns caps. Matatū sees the most domestic experience with almost 800 Farah Palmer Cup caps between the 23 contracted players, over 200 more than the next team.
The opening round of Sky Super Rugby Aupiki will kick off on Saturday 25 February with the Hurricanes Poua hosting Chiefs Manawa at 2.05pm in Levin, while Matatū will welcome the Blues to the deep south, hosting in Dunedin at 4.35pm.
Teams will play a round robin format for the first three weeks of competition before heading into play-offs. Semi-finals on Sunday 19 March will determine the two teams in the Final and third/fourth play-off, both of those matches to be held on Saturday 25 March.
All Sky Super Rugby Aupiki matches will be broadcasted live and exclusive on SKY.
Players will assemble for one preseason match in February before coming together four days a week through the competition window.
Clubs will announce their respective squads later in the year.
Draw:
Got a better joke? Drop it in the comments below 👇 👇 👇 #SuperRugbyAupiki pic.twitter.com/Eb4bfnlfz0
— Sky Sport NZ (@skysportnz) February 3, 2022
SUPER RUGBY AUPIKI 2024 SCHEDULE
ROUND 1
| TIME | DATE | GAME | VENUE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:45 PM | Saturday 25 February | Hurricanes Poua vs Chiefs Manawa | Levin Domain |
| 3:45 PM | Sunday 25 February | Matatu vs Blues Women | Forsyth Barr Stadium |
ROUND 2
| TIME | DATE | GAME | VENUE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:45 PM | Saturday 4 March | Blues Women vs Chiefs Manawa | North Harbour Stadium |
| 3:45 PM | Sunday 4 March | Matatu vs Hurricanes Poua | FMG Stadium, Hamilton |
ROUND 3
| TIME | DATE | GAME | VENUE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:45 PM | Saturday 11 March | Chiefs Manawa vs Matatu | FMG Stadium, Hamilton |
| 4:45 PM | Saturday 11 March | Hurricanes Poua vs Blues Women | FMG Stadium, Hamilton |
All times are displayed in NZDT
Stream Women’s Super Rugby 2024 Live Online in Australia and New Zealand
Super Rugby female on Free to Air
One game from each round of Super Rugby female will be broadcast live on free to air with 9Gem. Nine has signed a new deal with Rugby Australia until 2024. This deal also includes Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup games, meaning all Wallabies games will also go out on free to air.
Watch Super Rugby Aupiki Live Online
Every game from the Super Rugby Aupiki and Super Rugby Pacific tournaments are broadcast live and exclusive on Nine and Stan Sport. Stan sport costs as little as $10/month and is only available as an add-on alongside a standard Stan Subscription.
Stan’s new venture into International and Domestic Rugby is also backed up by a stellar commentary team that will appease both new and seasoned fans of the game.
Sky Super Rugby Aupiki | NZ Rugby
For the inaugural season in 2024, the competition consists of four rounds, including a Super Round hosted in Hamilton, and a final between the two top-placed teams at the end of March.
For more on the Sky Super Rugby Aupiki teams, you can visit their respective websites:
You can keep up with the latest news and competition results on the official Sky Super Rugby Aupiki website.
Blues Squad: Eloise Blackwell, Sylvia Brunt, Sam Curtis, Ruahei Demant, Princess Elliot, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Tenaija Fletcher, Mele Hufanga, Aldora Itunu, Tafito Lafaele, Patricia Maliepo, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Ilisapeta Molia, Natahlia Moors, Krystal Murray, Aleisha-Pearl Nelson, Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate, Melanie Puckett, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Aroha Savage, Kalyn Takitimu-Cook, Vineta Teutau, Rebecca Todd, Cristo Tofa, Luisa Togotogorua, Chryss Viliko
Chiefs squad:Chelsea Alley, Ariana Bayler, Kelly Brazier, Luka Connor, Georgia Daals, Victoria Edmonds, Les Elder, Stacey Fluhler, Carla Hohepa, Chyna Hohepa, Grace Houpapa-Barrett, Tanya Kalounivale, Maia Joseph, Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, Angel Mulu, Kendra Reynolds, Kennedy Simon, Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, Pia Tapsell, Santo Taumata, JayJay Taylor, Harono Te Iringa, Hazel Tubic, Ruby Tui, Renee Wickliffe, Kelsie Wills, Portia Woodman
Hurricanes squad: Sapphire Abraham, Ana Marie Afuie, Lauren Balsillie, Kat Brown, Carys Dallinger, Esther Tilo-Faiaoga, Dhys Faleafaga, Lyric Faleafaga, Teilah Ferguson, Sarah Hirini, Iritana Hohaia, Isadora Leio-Laupola, Ayesha Leti-I’iga, Marilyn Live, Joanah Ngan-Woo, Jayme Nuku, Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Jackie Patea-Fereti, Chey Robins-Reti, Layla Sae, Kahurangi Sturmey, Vic Subritzky-Nafatali, Monica Tagoai, Ngano Tavake, Janna Vaughan, Selica Winiata.
Matatū squad: Lucy Anderson, Chelsea Bremner, Alana Bremner, Grace Brooker, Kendra Cocksedge, Natalie Delamere, Amy du Plessis, Terauoriwa Gapper, Julia Gorinski, Di Hiini, Renee Holmes, Lucy Jenkins, Rosie Kelly, Michaela Leonard, Pip Love, Martha Mataele, Arabella McKenzie, Liv McGoverne, Kilisitina Moata’ane, Greer Muir, Marcelle Parkes, Moomooga (Ashley) Palu, Georgia
What does the name Super Rugby Aupiki mean?
Organisers wanted the name to reflect a steppingstone between the Farah Palmer Cup and the Black Ferns.
New Zealand Rugby’s Māori Cultural Advisor Luke Crawford linked the name to the narratives of the ascent of Tane to the highest heavens to retrieve the three baskets of knowledge.
And that is why Aupiki was chosen as the translation means ‘the ascent to the upper most realm’.
Super Rugby Aupiki at a glance:
Season opener:
Saturday 25 February: Hurricanes Poua v Chiefs Manawa, Levin.
Format:
4 teams: Blues, Chiefs Manawa, Hurricanes Poua and Matatū
6 regular season matches + 4 play-off matches
Season Length: 5 weeks
Total Matches: 10
Playoffs:
Semi Finals: 19 March, Final + 3rd/4th play-off: 25 March.