When the crowd was finally allowed in to witness an historic Blues-Chiefs clash, they were rewarded with a spectacle that brought women's Super Rugby much closer to reality.
The warmth of the sun stretched across Eden Park on Saturday afternoon, the commentary team bustled on the sidelines and both the Blues and Chiefs women’s sides ran up and down the field finessing their set pieces for the final time.
It felt like the start of something big.
But just 20 minutes out from the first whistle of the inaugural Super Rugby women’s match between the two franchises, the seats remained eerily empty.
Feelings of disappointment began to creep in, of perhaps a missed opportunity despite the healthy media coverage in the lead-up to the historic clash.
But then like the rays of sunshine, people started to stream in from all sides of the stadium when the gates were opened at 4.15pm, just in the nick of time for the 4.35pm kick-off.
Groups of people waving their flags in the concourse area quickly trying to find seats. There were adults and children wearing face paint and supporter jerseys, some new and others with original versions. Men with senior gold passes hanging around their necks, families with babies decked out in merchandise onesies and custom-made signage with their loved ones faces and messages of support.
It was a perfect day to make history, on a ground renowned around the world for hosting historic events.
And the entertaining contest that ended up a 39-12 victory to the Chiefs was the first step towards a future Super Rugby competition for women, which could be played as early as the end of next summer.
Andrew Hore, CEO at the Blues, says they wanted to add a women’s team to the organisation after looking at their identity.
“A big piece for our board is how do we continue to build 'Blue pride'...people matter, connections matter and winning matters are the three pillars that make that up,” he says. Hore was at the New South Wales Waratahs when they introduced a women's side into the inaugural Super W competition in 2018.
“We felt [a women's team] fit our values around the trailblazing piece and inclusivity. So it was an absolute no-brainer that a women’s team was included.”
Hore also understands things are changing. His son plays rippa rugby in a mixed team of young girls and boys. “The world is going to be such a better place for our next generation. So we've got a responsibility to drive and push what we want society to look like tomorrow,” he says.
More than 22,000 tickets were sold for the double-header with the men's Super Rugby clash, and around 8000 filed through the gates for the women’s game. As the clock ticked closer to kick-off, a line of young girls in club jerseys and waving team flags emerged on the side of the south-west stand and made their way around the outside of the field, like a guard of honour.
Once in their spots, a karakia (prayer) called the wāhine onto the pitch. The Chiefs players ran out to cheers from the decent crowd building in the stands, forming a huddle in the middle of the field.
Blues captain and Black Ferns lock, Eloise Blackwell, accompanied by a young ball girl, led her team onto Eden Park to rapturous applause, with flames shooting up around them.
The all-women referee and TMO team took their positions in history too.
Then there was a quick moment of reflection on how enormous the occasion is. To the players, their families, the young ones coming through the grades and those who had once played with only seagulls watching on. Chiefs playmaker Hazel Tubic signalled the chance of new opportunities and growth in the women’s game as head referee Maggie Cogger-Orr's starting whistle blew.
And with that acknowledgement, Blues prop Krystal Murray tucked the ball under her arm and charged the Chiefs' line for the first hit-up.
Within a minute of play, Black Ferns lock Kelsie Wills was penalised for a high tackle on Mount Albert Grammar student and Blues centre, Sylvia Brunt.
But it was the Chiefs who opened the scoring after Black Ferns prop Aleisha Pearl-Nelson was penalised for not rolling away after tackling Black Fern team-mate Luka Connor. Tubic converted her first penalty of the day - the first of six out of seven that she successfully slotted.
But a lapse in judgment from the restart saw Tubic step over the sideline with the ball, and the Blues' young playmaker Patricia Maliepo made the most of it. A good feed from halfback Luisa Togotogorua meant Maliepo was able to put a small grubber in behind the defence, before regathering and scoring near the posts.
After celebrating her 18th birthday in March, Maliepo will go down in the history books as the first try-scorer for a Super Women’s rugby match. She converted her own try to make the score 7-3 to the Blues in the first 10 minutes.
It was a move both captains acknowledged in the press conference after the game.
Blackwell said the intensity and excitement levels were through the roof and the pace of the game was a lot faster than the Farah Palmer Cup or club rugby.
“Trying to transition this big rig around the field was quite difficult," she laughed. "But it was awesome for us to have little Patricia [Maliepo] go over for our first try followed up by Sylvia [Brunt].
“Two of our teenage girls who are competing against women and some almost twice their age. So for them to rise to the occasion and feel confident that they can do that, it’s just awesome.”
Chiefs captain Les Elder echoed Blackwell’s comments. “Petu [Maliepo], the try she scored, that little chip... that’s a confidence play in a big moment," she said. "So it just shows the calibre we've got coming through with those young girls.”
The first 20 minutes saw a see-saw exchange in the lead, with Langi Veainu and Kendra Reynolds scoring for the Chiefs and Brunt’s footwork and fending getting her through the defence for the Blues to go into the halftime break 18-12 down.
When the second half started, the substitutes began rolling within the first 10 minutes and Connor scored from a driving maul. Tubic's conversion pushed the lead out to 25-12.
And from there, the visiting side took control for the rest of the game. The intensity of the encounter, and possibly the limited preparation time, started to show with stoppages for several players with injuries and cramping.
During an on-field break, the Chiefs men’s side came out to support their women, with the backdrop of the sun setting in the distance.
It was a special moment as the sky was tinged with pink and purple - the colours of the Chief’s women’s jerseys that connected them to the training strips worn by both the men and the women - which men's captain Sam Cane revealed represented the preparation and work both sides put in.
Elder proved age is nothing but a number when the 34-year-old - who had her first child a year ago - crossed the tryline in the 65th minute; Tubic made it a 20-point difference with less than 15 minutes on the clock.
Chiefs centre and New Zealand rugby league representative, Ngatokotoru Arakua, hadn't finished, scoring with five minutes to go. Tubic’s kick from the sideline went over again, ending in an emphatic Chiefs win 39-12. When the whistle called time, the Chiefs bench jumped up and ran on to the field, celebrating the momentous occasion.
Elder summarised the game as “pretty special.”
“Obviously it’s something us girls who have been around a long time have been wanting and pushing for, so to see that happen today is pretty cool,” she said. “To come out with the win, I guess we made a goal where we didn’t just want to be in history, we wanted to create it.”
And that’s what they did. It was an emotional week for all involved, especially at the jersey presentations with close friends and family.
“It was a bit of a worry,” said Elder. “Does the emotion get in our heads? Does it affect our game? But we actually channelled that emotion really well today. I think we took the mana of our families onto the field with us.”
Despite the loss, Blackwell says the game was a win for women’s rugby. “There's a lot of growth in our game and people are really getting behind us so it was an awesome opportunity to showcase our abilities - and put a stake in the ground and say that we are worthy of investing in and that we can produce good rugby,” she said.
Both captains agreed the teams could handle a full Super Rugby competition, but also want decision-makers to consider a different pathway to the men’s game. “For our girls to put on a game like that, off three trainings and a couple of club games, just shows what we could create if we were resourced,” says Elder.
“But we don’t want to just rush into a competition like this and have it affect FPC as well. It is something that needs to be tabled properly and talked about and all scenarios laid out on the table.
“What we don’t want to see is that a product like this dismantles FPC, where we get a larger group of girls playing the game, so it needs to be done properly.”
Saturday May 1, 2021 will go down in history for a number of reasons. But let’s make sure the ball keeps moving in the women's space.
Chiefs 39 (Langi Vaeinu, Kendra Reynolds, Luka Connor, Les Elder, Ngatokotoru Arakua tries; Hazel Tubic 4 cons, 2 pens) Blues 12 (Patricia Maliepo, Sylvia Brunt tries; Maliepo con). Halftime: 18-12
