Lessons to learn in round 2

Super Rugby Aupiki kicked off with a bang in Christchurch. Nearly 12,000 punters taking their seats at One Stadium to set a new record for domestic women's rugby in Aotearoa.

In terms of the rugby well, if you read my preview last week you will know I wasn't far off. The points differences ended up blowing out a little bit but shoot I was close for a good period in each match. This weekend, I fear for what's in store for my Poua. Particularly if they play the same narrow defense against Matatū. Who last week were playing with such width, every second pass would land out of frame.

Les and I dug into all the detail on the podcast this week and also named our team of the week based on the performances. The dominance of Matatū in this line-up speaks to just how slick this team is looking this season.

With the way the draw has shaken out, odds are the Blues and Matatū will win again this weekend. But how much each team improves is what counts. So here's the lessons I hope they have each learned to put up a better fight this weekend and the head to heads I'm looking forward to.

GAME ONE: Manawa vs Blues
2.05pm Saturday at FMG Stadium or live on Sky

Changes have been made. Some optional, some forced. Maama Vaipulu has been stood down for 3 matches after her red card, putting her out for half a season. I don't want to make light of the offense but given how rare domestic rugby is in this country, that's a very high price to pay. What would a bloke have to do to get stood down for half a Super season??

Both teams have dropped their best starting props from last week so I expect scrums to be a little shaky. Cilia-Marie Po'e Tofaeono was excellent for the Blues last week but her late concussion gives debutant Glory Aiono a crack. I can only assume they are resting Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu because she was as outstanding as always last week.

The first match up I'm watching out for is at hooker. Atlanta Lolohea and Vici-Rose Green are in constant competition for minutes higher up. In this match, we get are rare opportunity to see them go head to head. Vici-Rose was let down by jumpers which impacted their line out accuracy last week. This will be a key area of focus I am sure.

There's been a reshuffle in a back row for the Blues with Amarante Sititi injured, Tafito Lafaele getting the start this week. She along with Taufa Bason and Liana Mikaele-Tu'u will face off against netball convert Olivia Holten, Kennedy Tukuafu and Mia Anderson who this week is playing eight. Kennedy vs Taufa is another match up I am locking into. Both were a little quiet last week and will want to lift their game. We know what an impact they can have when they are firing on all cylinders.

Outside them, I'm paying attention to the battle of the halfbacks. Tara Turner has been the Black Ferns preferred alternate of late but Ariana Bayler isn't done yet. I still remember the play that leapfrogged Iritana Hohaia over Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu a couple of seasons back. So Bayler will be looking for her own magic moment to make her case.

A win for the Manawa in this game looks like set piece settling and as Les identified on the pod, a clear attacking shape. One leads to the other so get your scrum set and play from there.

The Blues name the most stacked back line in the competition with Jaymie Kolose and Katelyn Vahaakolo back from sevens duty. A win will be the forwards presenting a steady platform for them to create havoc. They do that and it's going to be another blow out for the Blues.

GAME TWO: Poua vs Matatū
2.05pm free entry at Maidstone Park or live on Sky

Matatū have made a couple of tweaks to the team that demolished the Manawa last week. Pip Love is into the starting love putting Santo Taumata on the bench. Trading Black Ferns props, must be nice!! They also have two seven stars, Alena Saili and Maia Davis, jump on the bench alongside USA halfback Abigail Paton. It took Matatū three years to beat the Poua but I don't think this team will have the same trouble.

By contrast it's been a big ol' reshuffle at the Poua which I actually feel good about. We are limiting the experimentation with Iritana Hohaia back in at halfback (good, I hated her at fullback) and Sam Taylor at lock (good, I wasn't sold at six). We have a whole new front row which hopefully improves the woeful set piece. Also a new flanker, a new midfield and a new back three to start.

With Sam Taylor back in her favoured position, my first head to head is between her and Laura Bayfield. Sam was a standout for the Poua last season and I need her to be channeling that energy again on Sunday if we are going to get any go forward.

My second match up is between Hannah King and Renee Holmes. The incumbent replacement 10 versus the challenger. Hannah was in fine form last week, while Renee had bugger all ball to play with. My hope is that we get to see a couple of exchanges between these two so we can get a real feel for whether Renee's conversion to 1st five has legs.

Lastly, one bright hope amongst all the chaos for Poua was Kokako Raki. She only played 30 minutes but managed to crack into the top 10 stats across the competition. Kokako has a heck of test coming up against a red hot Grace Brooker. How the young one looks to contain the Matatū captain will tell us a lot about how far she can go.

For Matatū this week, the test is how they hold their standards. The Blues got stuck in the Poua's muck last week. So if the Matatū can hold their shape and play their game, this could be a really tough day for the Poua.

The good and bad news is that the Poua have A LOT of room for improvement. If I could pick just two things to focus on it would be line outs and line speed.

Only 40% line out won against the Blues was abysmal. We cannot have that against an even stronger kicking team like Matatū or they will just plug edges and roll over us to score try after try. For line speed I am less focused on off the mark and more about getting in alignment. A narrow D line will just invite Matatū to expose and exploit us.

Please give me passages to cheer for and a respectable score. That's all I'm asking from my home team.

With you,
Alice