So the curtain has fallen on season three of Super Rugby Aupiki just as the competition was really starting to heat up. As is the case each year, we were left wanting more. The season is far from done for the players though. Some will be offered Black Fern contracts, others may be brought into camp for further development. All will soon return to our club scene.
Let’s take a look at the players who stood out for me this season, the ones I think are on Allan Bunting’s call list and the ones who are going to be major players in their provincial seasons.
Competition in Black
Following the final whistle on Saturday, everyone was asking me when to expect the Black Ferns announcement. A reasonable request given some players contracts are up and the first test is on the 11 May. I didn’t know so I asked and was told 22 April. I have now received a media standup notice for first thing 23 April, that’s next Tuesday. We will definitely have full squad announcements by then and I will be on standby to give you an analysis on all the ins and outs.
The hottest black jersey competition right now is for number 8, 9, 11 and 14. Liana Mikaele Tu’u has been the safe 8 option but hammy sent her sideline at the beginning of the Aupiki season, giving clear air for others to make their case.
Layla Sae and Kaipo Olsen-Baker were more than up for it. Olsen-Baker was on track to be a star of the last Rugby World Cup but a late leg break in the Farah Palmer Cup, stopped her in her tracks. She made the wise move down the Matatū this season and the side that’s famous for their conditioning, had her in top form.
By the end of round two, Olsen-Baker led the stats with number of ball carries, offloads and defenders beaten. It was only in round five that she was overtaken as the top ball carrier when she was out with a niggle. Who overtook her? Layla Sae of course! Who then went on to finish the competition as the top ball carrier despite playing one less game than those ranked 2nd and 3rd.
Sae also finished the competition as the joint top defender beater as well as being the only forward in the top five for metres gained. The other forward in the top ten? Olsen-Baker… Are we seeing a pattern here?
The stack of red hot talent at number eight right now, then begs the question - do you sideline any of them? Or do you rejig your starting loosies to make room? We have seen the Black Ferns start Kennedy Simon, Mikaele Tu’u and Sae before. You have to think this is the combo they will roll out now after Aupiki. This leaves Olsen-Baker on the bench, ready to run riot in the back end of a match.
What does this mean for Alana Bremner, Kendra Reynolds and Lucy Jenkins? Well, that they may find it tough to get game time this season. Maia Roos might have played a bit at 6 for the Blues but I think this back row will keep her at lock for the Black Ferns.
What about halfbacks then? Three key moments in the Aupiki season might shed some light on who will get to pull on this jersey.
Iritana Hohaia snakes Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu in Levin
37 minutes gone in round 4 and the score is 5-7 to the Manawa up over their Poua hosts. A crucial play is made to give the Poua an attacking opportunity and the chance at lead over then unbeaten Manawa going into halftime. Who made this play? Hohaia of course. Timing a snipe at Marino-Tauhinu at the back of scrum to perfection. Of course my Poua promptly squandered this chance but it was beautiful nevertheless.Kahlia Awa is subbed on, stealing a championship and almost a player of the match award
Ruahei Demant won the World Cup final’s player of the match but all the real ones know it was the best game you’ve ever seen Stacey Waaka play. The same is true of Kahlia Awa performance in the Aupiki final.
The young gun from the Hawke’s Bay Tui has continued her fantastic run of form from her Farah Palmer Cup season into a stellar Aupiki debut. I’m not even sure if they give rookie of the year awards for Aupiki but Awa would be a finalist.
I would be surprised if any other new halfback is called in ahead of Awa next week. She is the future starting halfback for New Zealand. It’s just a matter of when.Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu leads by example
Other halfbacks may push Marino-Tauhinu to the bench sooner rather than later but her actions this season showed her influence in our game. Most media missed her response to the Poua’s first haka and then seemed confused when she followed this up by standing out of Manawa’s next haka.
Marino-Tauhinu couldn’t have been clearer though, she is going to stand up for what she believes and will stand in solidarity with other players, whether they are currently on her team or not.
Her actions were part of the reason we saw a back down from NZR and Hurricanes CEO, Avan Lee. She has more mana in her left pinky than they have in their entire executive suite.
You only need watch the highlights of one of the Blues matches from this season to know that Katelyn Vaha’akolo is likely to win Aupiki player of the year this year. She finished the season with an average of 100 metres gained per match. Over 200 metres clear of her closest rival, Ruby Tui. She was did the impossible, finally unseating Luka Connor as the competitions top try scorer. Shares the top spot of defenders beaten with Layla Sae and clean breaks with Tui.
While Vaha’akolo had a blinder, Tui and Martha Mataele were also lethal for their sides. I only wish Ayesha Leti-I'iga had returned from her ACL rehab in time so that we could have had a wing-off every match. Leti-I'iga will be back this season though but she will have to fight against the form of these other wingers to get back into the starting lineup. Isn’t that awesome for Black Ferns fans??
Time for a recall?
I have written at length about the comeback seasons we have seen for Aldora Itunu and Krysten Cottrell. Both haven’t played for the Black Ferns for over two years but played a big part in the Blues championship side. Of the two, Itunu is the more likely to receive a recall.
The front row is still very much a work in progress for the Black Ferns it seems. As we know, four props debuted last year so no one has got a tight grip on that position yet. The stage is then set for the hat trick scoring 2017 World Cup prop to return - not to be confused with the hat trick scoring prop in the World Cup final, that was Toka Natua, Itunu scored hers in pool play!
The other question mark I have is Monica Tagoai. Tagoai got two games for the Black Ferns back in 2018. Ever since then, just as she’s been appearing to make her comeback, she’s been knocked back by injury. But Tagoai is a bloody good player. It’s clearest sometimes in looking at how good she makes the players around her.
She was the glue that held Poua inside backs together this season (and the past forever seasons for the Wellington Pride). Tagoai is one of the best defenders out - for her concrete shoulders but also organisation. If she doesn’t get a black jersey this year, she’ll be pulling on a blue one instead. Going to play for her country of birth, Samoa.
Keep an eye on her
Outside of these jersey contests and potential call ups, there are a number of players that will be ones to keep an eye on as this season rolls on. In the forwards for me that is Auckland Storm’s Maama Vaipulu, Waikato’s Mia Anderson and Manawatū Cyclone’s Elinor-Plum King. Each of these players were immense for their Aupiki sides this season and will no doubt be instrumental to their FPC teams.
As for backs, Hannah King is bloody exciting. I had no understanding on the quality of player we had signed as the Poua pivot. I really hope we don’t just see her disappear back onto the Canterbury bench this year. It’s going to be tough for the young first five to get game time with the likes of Rosie Kelly and Liv McGoverne in her region so perhaps she might entertain a trip north again during the FPC to gain more exposure.
I really hope that Bunting has a conversation with King. It may be too soon to offer a contract but get her into camp so we can see how good this kid can be.
I could keep naming names honestly and doesn’t that just tell you that Aupiki has so much further to grow.
With you,
Alice