Keeping the wāhine rugby momentum into Super Rugby Aupiki

Whitney Hansen, Matatū Assistant Coach, is confident their brand of rugby will help keep the women’s rugby flame alive as the country counts down to the start of Super Rugby Aupiki. 

The Black Ferns and their fans are still on the comedown off a Rugby World Cup win at home in front of a sell-out crowd at Auckland’s Eden Park. 

Hansen was in the box seat for the tournament as Assistant Coach for the national side, now back in Christchurch and “very excited to work with what I believe is a pretty special team”.  

“We’ve seen a lot of people around New Zealand and the world fall in love with the women’s game, so our big hope is that continues and we see the same fan base generated for Super Rugby Aupiki,” Hansen said. 

Matatu announced their squad on Monday 21 November, a media contingent gathering in Christchurch to hear from Hansen and fellow assistant coach Tony Christie.  

Matatū players and Rugby World Cup winning Matatū members Amy Duplessis and Georgia Ponsonby also spoke to reporters about taking their winning form into the Aupiki season. 

Super Rugby Aupiki kicks off on 25 February 2023 with Hurricanes Poua taking on reigning champs Chiefs Manawa in Levin, before Matatū take on the Blues at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin later in the afternoon. 

“What an opportunity to get out and see the heroes of the World Cup again in their Super Rugby colours,” Hansen said. 

The key to attracting both points and a crowd was to “play exciting footy”. 

 “That was probably one of the points of difference at the World Cup for the Black Ferns and will be a point of difference for us at Matatū,” Hansen said. 

“We are an attacking team with, I think, one of the best attacking coaches in Tony Christie – he’s incredibly innovative. We want to play a brand that’s exciting to watch.”