Super Rugby Aupiki 2024

A first look at the season ahead

It’s year three of Super Rugby Aupiki which now means my squad spreadsheet has MANY tabs. Within these tabs are some threads that are starting to appear. These are the threads that you can start to weave into yarns to tell stories about just what is going on in this competition.

So let’s start pulling some of these threads and take a look at where they can lead us.

199

That’s how many players I believe have rolled through Aupiki over the past three years. I would love to tell you that with absolute confidence but this is what I’ve been able to cobble together based on squad announcements and then the players than inevitably end up popping up on subsequent team lists throughout each season.

It’s a system that lends itself heavily to the potential for human error. But that would be in under, not over, recording the number of players to have been involved in Aupiki. That’s because while there are around 30 players contracted per team, there are also a few involved within wider training squads that the franchises don’t tend to announce… I wonder if they get paid for their time.

60

That’s how many players have had a ‘one and done’ experience with Aupiki. Since launch in 2022, 60 players have been named in the squads for just one of the three seasons.

Of the four franchises, the Blues are responsible for most of these players. 30% of the one season wonders have played out of their franchise. A lot of this will have been driven by the shocker of a turnover between season one and two, where they lost 60% of their original squad.

I’ve been wondering a bit about this first season crew and where folks have ended up. So put this together for the Blues class of 2022.

As you can see, some bounced to other franchises, some to other codes and some from the game all together. There are a couple though, who are still grinding it out in the provincial rugby scene, who probably deserve another shot at Aupiki.

10%

That’s the percentage of players who have ended up playing for more than one franchise. This season, if you’ve played for more than one, you’re most likely to be playing out of Manawa. Underlining that this franchise appears to be the one that players want to play for. Particularly if you’re a current Black Ferns. They’ve added Ruby Tui, Ariana Bayler, Renee Holmes, Krystal Murray and Grace Steinmetz all to their roster this season. YESHHHH.

If you’re wondering who is best at holding on to players, that’s Matatū. Between season one and two, they retained 67% of their squad. That increased to 70% this season. Matatū also have the lowest number number of ‘one and done’ players, suggesting that they are the team that will invest the most into player development.

Shout out to the Blues though, that have managed to staunch the bleed of players from their franchise. A massive increase in retention for them this season, holding on to 67% of their players from last year. No doubt this was helped along with the fact that 4 of the Black Ferns debutants this season played for the Blues. Easier to convince folks to stay when they are seeing results!

This is amongst the reasons I am picking a Matatū v Blues final this year.

3 for 3

Krystal Murray wins the ‘Shopping Around’ award, running out for her third franchise in three seasons next year. Her move to the Manawa gives us such a tasty front row battle. With the Matatū and traditional Black Ferns starting line up of Pip Love, Georgia Ponsonby and Amy Rule up against the insurgent Manawa trio of Krystal Murray, Luka Connor and Tanya Kalounivale. I CANNOT WAIT!!!!

Our Black Fern squad will be stronger for this battle but part of me still wants to see Muzz then jump down to Matatū in 2025 just to complete the set.

31.25%

That’s how many of the 2024 debutants are playing for the Hurricanes Poua. My home team having lost a lot of experience from the squad list in one fell swoop.

All the ins and outs of the squads

I didn’t mark on these squad lists who was out due to injury cause it wasn’t something consistently included in the press releases. NZR only listed their contracted players and brownie points to Manawa and Matatū who included their full list. But here are the players that I know are currently unavailable:

BLUES
Hayley Hutuna
Joanna Fanene Lolo (weirdly I know this from the Manawa announcement???)

MANAWA
Awhina Tangen-Wainohu
Santo Taumata
Angel Mulu
Carla Hohepa
Kelsie Thwaites
Tynealle Fitzgerald

POUA
Ayesha Leti I’iga
Autumn-Rain Stephens Daly

MATATUU why can’t I caps a macron substack :(
Nat Delamere

6 players I will miss

So taking out the injured players, these the players that I will miss this season. Firstly at Manawa, Grace Houapapa-Barrett and Harono Te Iringa. These two are both scrappers in the best type of way. You can bring them on and they will bring with them a turn of tempo. Grace may not currently be in Black Ferns camps but is still one of the best hookers in the country. So her omission is a big one.

Meanwhile, Harono has been one of my favourite players to discover during Aupiki. She will do what her squad needs of her, including converting to prop from lock last season. That’s the type of heart/manawa that they will miss.

The clear out at the Poua has removed three players that hurt. They are Aroha Savage, Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate and Crystal Mayes. Aroha and Te Kura have most recently been in fine form as key players in the Northland Kauri’s promotion to the Premiership. Just like Grace up in Manawa, Te Kura is still definitely amongst the top 8 hookers in Aotearoa. So it’s just mad that we aren’t seeing her in any of the squads. Their leadership will be sorely missed.

Crystal Mayes may be headed back to play 7s in Japan but I miss her already. She was your perfect squad member for a short comp like Aupiki, able to plug into many positions across the backline. She always made me feel safe when she was on the field cause while she may be better known for the short form of the game, she has a bloody good rugby brain.

Last but not least is Steph Te Ohaere-Fox. I know she has retired but WHY STEPH! You are still my favourite prop. Can we not have stolen you for the Poua??

That’s quite enough for my first look but what do you reckon? How is your team shaping up?

With you,

Alice