Blues women march back to the Aupiki final

The Blues women are one victory away from a slice of rugby history. On 19 July in Christchurch they beat table-topping Matatū 38-29 to book a third consecutive Super Rugby Aupiki grand final, as the Blues reported.

It was a proper arm-wrestle. Allblacks.com noted that Braxton Sorensen-McGee scored twice and slotted four conversions, with further tries to Ruahei Demant, Jaymie Kolose, Taufa Bason and Katelyn Vaha'akolo. Kolose was praised for a try-saving tackle, while Vaha'akolo finished off a length-of-the-field movement. The NZ Herald also had the Blues holding their nerve to seal the grand final spot.

The road there was not smooth. Wikipedia's season page records the Blues finishing second in the regular season on a 4-2 record, just behind Matatū, who earned the right to host the decider. Captain Maiakawanakaulani Roos summed up the campaign, telling the Blues it had been "a really challenging season for us" but one defined by grit and a want to improve for each other.

Guiding the side is head coach Willie Walker, now in his fourth year in charge, as Auckland Rugby confirmed. His squad is packed with international pedigree. When the teams were named, allblacks.com reported the Blues carried nine current Black Ferns, alongside fresh faces such as North Harbour first five-eighth Ella Henderson and Amarante Sititi.

That blend of experience and youth has been the Blues' story from the start. The franchise made history as the first side to win multiple Aupiki crowns, going back to back in 2024 and 2025, as RNZ recounted after their 2025 triumph at Eden Park.

Now they chase a third in a row. The 2026 grand final is set for Saturday 25 July at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, a rematch with Matatū on the hosts' home turf. Whoever lifts the trophy then heads to Sydney for a trans-Tasman showdown with the Super W champions.

For the Blues women, it has been a season of holding on when it mattered. One more big performance would turn back-to-back into a genuine dynasty.