Threepeat complete. The Blues have beaten Matatū 28-21 to lift their third consecutive Super Rugby Aupiki title in front of more than 10,000 fans at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch. They become the first team to win three titles — but it was not without drama. The Blues led 21-14 with three minutes to go when lock Maama Vaipulu was yellow-carded for head contact and Matatū made the most of it. They scored a pushover try – with Georgia Ponsonby reaching out to score – and Maia Joseph added the extras to level 21-21 with less than two minutes to go. But then the Blues fought back, turning over the ball as Matatū tried to take the game to extra-time, and swung it wide for Katelynn Vahaakolo to score her second and seal the victory. The Black Ferns winger became the most prolific try-scorer in Super Rugby Aupiki history with 19 tries. The Blues controlled most of the possession inside the opening 10 minutes, but Matatū’s defence was up to the task, stopping them from getting inside the 22m. The Blues attacked Matatū, counter rucking quickly as the home side lacked urgency to get people to the breakdown. Braxton Sorensen-McGee went on a weaving run, dishing off to Mererangi Paul out wide. The Blues brought it back inside and hooker Atalanta Lolohea reached out to score. Amy du Plessis put in a crunching tackle to stop another Sorensen-McGee’s run — who was sidelined after head knock for the rest of the game — and Emma Dermody won the penalty over the ball. That swung the momentum to Matatū. Charntay Poko skipped through the line, but the visitors defence was stoic to keep Matatū out. After 22 phases, Matatū still could not break through. But the Blues coughed up an earlier penalty and Otago flanker Sarah Jones – in her first start – walked over top of Black Fern lock Maia Roos to level. Elinor-Plum King won a big breakdown penalty as the home side started to win the moments that mattered. Matatū scored a stunning team try from the ensuing scrum. Grace Brooker crashed through the line, Kaipo Olsen-Baker offloaded to Maia Davis who quickly gave it to Black Fern seven Alena Saili to score in the corner. Joseph added the extras to give Matatū a 14-7 lead. Joseph was yellow-carded for head contact when she went to strip the ball from Paul. That forced fullback Davis to plug the gap at halfback. But they held on to lead 14-7 at halftime. Sylvia Brunt made an explosive start to the second half, charging the Blues up the field and bumping off Matatū defence. That ended with Vahaakolo scoring her first. Having struggled to get their hands on the ball through the latter stages of the first half, the Blues found themselves with oodles of possession early in the second. They had phase after phase with du Plessis putting her body on the line and Jones winning a big moment over the ball. Still nobody could break the 14-14 deadlock. The Blues finally got Jaymie Kolose into space, who helped get her side into space. Liana Mikaele-Tu’u spotted the space and shimmied through, putting Tara Turner into space and Lolohea scored from a pick-and-go. Demant added the extras for the Blues to lead 21-14 with 10 minutes to go. Then the drama ensued and the Blues fought back to win. They will play the Waratahs – who thumped the Fijian Drua 34-17 in Ba in the Super Rugby W final on Saturday – in Sydney next weekend.
