SOUTHERN PRIDE AND SPIRIT

Coach: Blair Baxter

Captain: Alana Bremner

Home grounds: Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch; Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

Website: www.matatu.co.nz

Tickets: www.matatu.co.nz

Contact: PO Box 755, Christchurch. Phone 03 379 8300

Email: hello@crusaders.co.nz

Team TAB odds: $4.00

CAMPAIGN PREVIEW: probably the best coaching group I’ve been involved with,” says Baxter.

They say that winning rugby games starts up front in the tight forward exchanges. In that case, there should be plenty of optimism among supporters in the South Island as Matatu - has a powerful pack not likely to yield to anyone.

Matatu - will field the dominant Black Ferns Rugby World Cup front-row trio of Phillipa Love, Amy Rule and Georgia Ponsonby. Black Ferns teammates Kendra Reynolds and Natalie Delamere will also be influential in the performance of the forward pack.

Australian-raised halfback Georgia Cormick joins Matatu - following a strong Farah Palmer Cup season for Otago. She has pace to burn and a great pass, with experience playing in the SuperW for the Melbourne Rebels.

The Matatu - squad again has a strong Canterbury influence, with the red-and-blacks having won four of the last six Farah Palmer Cup titles. Head coach Blair Baxter also coaches the Canterbury team. But there is also international talent in the squad.

Australian lock Sera Naiqama is a current Wallaroo and NSW Waratahs SuperW player who was one of the better performed Wallaroos at Rugby World Cup.

He is looking forward to the chance to properly showcase the Matatu - brand, the athletes and the style of rugby played in the South Island.

“We look to have really athletic players who can perform at a high tempo, move the ball around, showcase their skill-set under pressure and show accuracy in our set piece.”

Matatu - ’s opening season did not deliver the results that Baxter or the team wanted.

“We’re really happy with the technical and tactical stuff but our execution under pressure wasn’t good enough. We didn’t achieve some of the stuff we set out to, so there’s definitely some great learnings that we’ve captured, and it’s made us really hungry as a coaching group to ensure the girls get a chance to actually showcase how good they are.

“We have a chance now to really establish that cohesion early on in our campaign to enable us to go out there and just thrive.”

FORWARDS:

Alana Bremner, Amy Rule, Atlanta Lolohea, Cindy Nelles, Emma Dermody, Georgia

Ponsonby, Kendra Reynolds, Leah Miles, Lucy Jenkins, Marcelle Parkes, Moomooga (Ona)

Palu, Natalie Delamere, Phillipa Love, Sera Naiqama, Steph Te Ohaere Fox.

BACKS:

Amy Du Plessis, Charntay Poko, Chey Robins-Reti, Cheyenne Cunningham, Di Hiini, Georgia

Cormick, Grace Brooker, Grace Steinmetz, Martha Mataele, Renee Holmes, Rosie Kelly, TeRauoriwa Gapper.

Cindy Nelles has been capped 19 times by Canada and has plenty of experience playing in New Zealand. In 2020, she scored the match-winning try for Canterbury in the Farah Palmer Cup final against Waikato. Injuries have not been kind to her since then, but she did play for the Blues in Aupiki last year. Nelles needs to be a leader among the tight forwards, especially with the loss of Black Ferns lock Chelsea Bremner, who has shifted north to Chiefs Manawa.

A player who has shown plenty of determination to grab a spot in the Matatu - squad is skillful centre Cheyenne Cunningham. The 22-year-old had a standout Farah Palmer Cup season for Otago.

The shepherd from rural Kurow made regular five-hour return trips to Dunedin to train with the Otago Spirit in the Farah Palmer Cup. Her efforts were rewarded with nine tries to help the Spirit make the final and a Matatu - contract.

Baxter is delighted to be back coaching the team for a second season. He is assisted by Whitney Hansen, who rejoins the team as set-piece coach fresh from her success with the Black Ferns, and Tony Christie is back leading the attack for Matatu -

“It’s pretty humbling to be given the chance to coach and lead the programme again. It’s just an honour to work with the same coaching group,

Coach: Crystal Kaua

Captain: Kennedy Simon

Home ground: