In the ‘‘All In’’ round including all four teams in Pukekohe, the South Island women shocked the defending champion Blues 27-21.
It was the Blues’ first loss in five games and kept Matatū firmly at the top of the Aupiki table at the halfway point of the regular season.
The southerners were far more accurate and played more rugby in the right areas.
There were early signs that this was going to be a day for Matatū to remember.
Amy du Plessis found a gaping hole in the defence, and the Blues went down to 14 when star lock Maia Roos was yellow-carded for a cynical foul.
Matatū made it count immediately when rampaging No 8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker crashed over for the opening try.
Olsen-Baker then ploughed in to grab a nice turnover, and Hannah King nudged Matatū out to a 10-0 advantage with a penalty.
The Blues were odds-on to score soon after when Mererangi Paul stole an intercept but King did well to scramble and make a try-saving tackle.
As soon as Matatū went back on the attack, they profited.
The forwards cribbed some yards, halfback Maia Joseph leapt from ruck to ruck, and the overlap was created for winger Winnie Palamo to cross out wide.
A 17-0 lead after 21 minutes represented a heck of a start.
The Blues struck back when Liana Mikaele-Tu’u crashed over, and Matatū held a 17-7 lead at halftime.
Palamo nearly gave her side a great start to the second half but she had a potential intercept knocked out of her hands.
The Blues started to find metres when they took a simpler approach, and when winger Jaymie Kolose shrugged off a hair tug to score in the corner, and Braxton Sorensen-McGee landed a wonderful conversion, it was game on at 17-14.
King kicked another penalty but the Blues hit the front when hooker Atlanta Lolohea broke off a dominant maul to score.
This is usually the point when the Blues lean on their class acts to see out the game.
But Matatū would not be denied.
Replacement winger Binky Muamua got the ball inside her own half, went in and out to beat three defenders, and recycled the ball, leaving Joseph and du Plessis to find space for King to score the winning try.
Matatū next play the Chiefs Manawa in Hamilton.
The Chiefs were shocked 34-29 by the Hurricanes Poua in the other game in Pukekohe on Saturday.
It was the Poua’s first win since March 2024.
Super Rugby Aupiki
The scores
Matatū 27
Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Winnie Palamo, Hannah King tries; King 3 con, 2 pen
Blues 21
Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Jaymie Kolose, Atlanta Lolohea tries; Braxton Sorensen-McGee 3 con
Halftime: Matatū 17-7.
