{"id":13812,"date":"2021-05-01T10:16:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-30T22:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/?p=13812"},"modified":"2021-05-01T10:18:03","modified_gmt":"2021-04-30T22:18:03","slug":"womens-super-rugby-preview-blues-v-chiefs-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/2021\/05\/01\/womens-super-rugby-preview-blues-v-chiefs-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Women\u2019s Super Rugby Preview: Blues v Chiefs (2021)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Preview
\nHistory will be made on Saturday afternoon, when the first ever women\u2019s match between Super Rugby clubs will be played in New Zealand. The Blues and Chiefs will be part of the inaugural women\u2019s Super Rugby match, with the hope that a Super Rugby women\u2019s competition will one day soon become part of the women\u2019s schedule. It\u2019s set to very a special occasion in women\u2019s sport.<\/span><\/p>\n

Match Details:<\/strong><\/span>
\nSaturday 1 May, 4:35pm, Eden Park<\/span>
\nLive on Sky Sport NZ, Stan Sport in Australia and Rugby Pass in the UK, Ireland, Europe, Asia & the Middle East.<\/span>
\nReferee: Maggie Cogger-Orr<\/span>
\nAssistant 1: Lauren Jenner<\/span>
\nAssistant 2: Tiana Ngawati<\/span>
\nTMO: Lee Jeffery<\/span><\/p>\n

BLACK FERNS GALORE<\/strong><\/span>
\nThere are 16 Black Ferns featuring in this match, eight in each side. The Blues boast 167 Test caps, while the Chiefs have 84. The Blues are captained by current Black Ferns skipper Eloise Blackwell, while the Chiefs are being led by Les Elder who has also captained the national side. The Blues have a lot of the experienced Black Ferns like prop Aleisha-Pearl Nelson, flanker Charmaine McMenamin and hooker Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate. But the Chiefs have some of the newer generation. Lock Kelsie Wills, flanker Kennedy Simon and hooker Luka Connor. Expect some brilliant match-ups right across the park.<\/span><\/p>\n

FUTURE IS LOOKING BRIGHT<\/strong><\/span>
\nA number of teenagers will be on display at Eden Park, with the Blues naming eight in their 23. The Chiefs also have their fair share of young up-and-comers. 18 year-old Patricia Maliepo will be one to watch at 10 for the Blues, up against the experienced Hazel Tubic. Sylvia Brunt is still at school and made a name for herself scoring a sensational try for Auckland in the Farah Palmer Cup last season. She links up with Black Fern Ruahei Demant in the midfield. Kelsie Teneti and Renee Holmes have been named on the right wing and fullback respectively for the Chiefs. 21 year-old Holmes made her Black Ferns debut against the Barbarians last year, while Teneti is a promising young winger out of the Waikato province.<\/span><\/p>\n

KEY MATCH-UP<\/strong><\/span>
\nThere are several mouth-watering match ups to keep an eye out for on Saturday, but the one we are most excited about it is at No 8. Charmaine McMenamin v Kennedy Simon. The two hard-nosed loose forwards had stellar Farah Palmer Cup campaigns last year and were stand-outs in the November Black Ferns series against the Barbarians. McMenamin has 25 Test caps to her name, while Simon has notched up four since her debut in 2019. The 24 year-old was voted New Zealand Rugby Players\u2019 Association Player of the Year last year, with McMenamin picking up the gong a year before at the New Zealand Rugby Awards. They are both well-respected within the rugby circles and will bring plenty of fire to the historic clash.<\/span><\/p>\n

Teams<\/strong><\/span>
\nBlues:\u00a0<\/strong>1. Krystal Murray 2. Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate 3. Aleisha-Pearl Nelson 4. Eloise Blackwell \u00a9 5. Maia Roos 6. Lisa Molia 7. Kate Williams 8. Charmaine McMenamin 9. Luisa Togotogorua 10. Patricia Maliepo 11. Natahlia Moors 12. Ruahei Demant 13. Sylvia Brunt 14. Princess Elliot 15. Hayley Hutana<\/span>
\nReserves: <\/strong>16. Saphire Abraham 17. Aldora Itunu 18. Cristo Tofa 19. Liana Mikaele-Tu\u2019u 20. Shannon Leota 21. Moana Cook 22. Tyler Nankivell 23. Daynah Nankivell<\/span><\/p>\n

Chiefs:\u00a0<\/strong>1. Angel Mulu 2. Luka Connor 3. Tanya Kalounivale 4. Kelsie Wills 5. Chyna Hohepa 6. Kendra Reynolds 7. Les Elder \u00a9 8. Kennedy Simon 9. Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu 10. Hazel Tubic 11. Langi Veainu 12. Chelsea Alley 13. Ngatokotoru Arakua 14. Kelsey Teneti 15. Renee Holmes<\/span>
\nReserves: <\/strong>16. Grace Houpapa-Barrett 17. Awhina Tangen-Wainohu 18. Leilani Perese 19. Harono Te Iringa 20. Pia Tapsell 21. Ariana Bayler 22. Shyanne Thompson 23. Iritana Hohaia<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

History will be made on Saturday afternoon, when the first ever women\u2019s match between Super Rugby clubs will be played in New Zealand. The Blues and Chiefs will be part of the inaugural women\u2019s Super Rugby match, with the hope that a Super Rugby women\u2019s competition will one day soon become part of the women\u2019s…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13813,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Women\u2019s Super Rugby Preview: Blues v Chiefs (2021)\r\n\r\nPreview: https:\/\/wp.me\/p4wlzH-3AM\r\n\r\nHistory will be made on Saturday afternoon, when the first ever women\u2019s match between Super Rugby clubs will be played in New Zealand. The Blues and Chiefs will be part of the inaugural women\u2019s Super Rugby match, with the hope that a Super Rugby women\u2019s competition will one day soon become part of the women\u2019s schedule. It\u2019s set to very a special occasion in women\u2019s sport.","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13812","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rugbyheartland-news","category-super-rugby"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/179284500_2822778787976086_4422763862982655_n.jpg?fit=2000%2C2000&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4wlzH-3AM","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15397,"url":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/2022\/01\/21\/hurricanes-womens-super-rugby-draw-announced\/","url_meta":{"origin":13812,"position":0},"title":"Hurricanes Women\u2019s Super Rugby Draw Announced","author":"admin_hland","date":"January 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Hurricanes Women to take on\u00a0Matat\u016b\u00a0in RD1, Sunday, 6 March, Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch\u00a0 RD2 will see the Hurricanes Women take on the Blues at home, Sunday, 12 March at Sky Stadium \u2013 RD2 features a Hurricanes double header with the Hurricanes Women hosting the Blues at 1:45PM and Men taking on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Super Rugby"","block_context":{"text":"Super Rugby","link":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/category\/super-rugby\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/hur_aup.jpg?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/hur_aup.jpg?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/hur_aup.jpg?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/hur_aup.jpg?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/hur_aup.jpg?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":23100,"url":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/2026\/02\/18\/2026-super-rugby-aupiki-draw-confirmed\/","url_meta":{"origin":13812,"position":1},"title":"2026 Super Rugby Aupiki draw confirmed","author":"Kevin Hare","date":"February 18, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The 2026 Super Rugby Aupiki draw has been locked in and fans can get excited for a 13 June kick\u2011off as the competition syncs up with the wider women\u2019s rugby calendar. Spanning\u00a0six rounds, a\u00a0Grand Final, and a\u00a0Trans-Tasman Champions Final, the 2026 season builds on the momentum of 2025 with several\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Super Rugby Aupiki"","block_context":{"text":"Super Rugby Aupiki","link":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/category\/super-rugby-aupiki\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/aupiki2026.png?fit=780%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/aupiki2026.png?fit=780%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/aupiki2026.png?fit=780%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/aupiki2026.png?fit=780%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14759,"url":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/2021\/10\/06\/green-light-for-super-rugby-aupiki\/","url_meta":{"origin":13812,"position":2},"title":"Green light for Super Rugby Aupiki","author":"admin_hland","date":"October 6, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"\u2022\u00a0Four-team women\u2019s competition confirmed for March 2022 \u2022\u00a0Head Coaches announced The country\u2019s leading women players will set the rugby landscape alight in 2022 with the inaugural season of Super Rugby Aupiki. The Blues, Chiefs and Hurricanes, as well as a combined South Island team to be governed by the Crusaders\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "RugbyHeartland News"","block_context":{"text":"RugbyHeartland News","link":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/category\/rugbyheartland-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/aupiki.jpg?fit=1200%2C612&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/aupiki.jpg?fit=1200%2C612&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/aupiki.jpg?fit=1200%2C612&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/aupiki.jpg?fit=1200%2C612&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/aupiki.jpg?fit=1200%2C612&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":19982,"url":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/2023\/12\/05\/action-filled-afternoons-set-for-sky-super-rugby-aupiki\/","url_meta":{"origin":13812,"position":3},"title":"Action filled afternoons set for Sky Super Rugby Aupiki","author":"admin_hland","date":"December 5, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Family-friendly afternoon kick offs are the feature of an extended 2024 Sky Super Rugby Aupiki draw announced by New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and the Super Clubs today. Players are already immersed in a newly extended pre-season training window ahead of a season and with every match played at 2.05pm or\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "RugbyHeartland News"","block_context":{"text":"RugbyHeartland News","link":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/category\/rugbyheartland-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/aupiki.jpg?fit=1200%2C612&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/aupiki.jpg?fit=1200%2C612&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/aupiki.jpg?fit=1200%2C612&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/aupiki.jpg?fit=1200%2C612&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/aupiki.jpg?fit=1200%2C612&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15801,"url":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/2022\/04\/21\/spark-sport-and-world-rugby-confirm-warner-bros-discovery-nz-as-free-to-air-broadcast-partner-for-rugby-world-cup-2021\/","url_meta":{"origin":13812,"position":4},"title":"Spark Sport and World Rugby confirm Warner Bros. Discovery NZ as free-to-air broadcast partner for Rugby World Cup 2021","author":"admin_hland","date":"April 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Spark Sport and World Rugby have today announced that Warner Bros. Discovery NZ will be the exclusive New Zealand free-to-air broadcast partner for Rugby World Cup 2021, which takes place from 8 October to 12 November 2022 in New Zealand. Under the deal, Warner Bros. 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The squad was announced by former Black Fern Honey Hireme-Smiler tonight in front of invited guests and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "RugbyHeartland News"","block_context":{"text":"RugbyHeartland News","link":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/category\/rugbyheartland-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/522805382_18380635465131138_3700502004740772744_n.jpg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/522805382_18380635465131138_3700502004740772744_n.jpg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/522805382_18380635465131138_3700502004740772744_n.jpg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/522805382_18380635465131138_3700502004740772744_n.jpg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13812","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13812"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13812\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13814,"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13812\/revisions\/13814"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13813"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13812"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}