The Blues and the Chiefs are hoping the collective disappointment of postponing the womens Rugby World Cup can be offset by the first Super Rugby clash between their womens teams.
Both franchises revealed their squads on Wednesday for the historic meeting at Eden Park on May 1 the first womens Super Rugby match being the curtain raiser for the mens Super Rugby Aotearoa encounter.
It will be a landmark occasion for the womens game and could be the first of many if New Zealand Rugby (NZR) advances plans for a competition (semi-professional or professional) which could start as early as next year.
Black Ferns Chelsea Alley (Chiefs, left) and Eloise Blackwell (Blues) will feature in the first womens Super Rugby match.
Willie Walker (Blues) and Chad Shepherd (Chiefs) have been named the head coaches and their squads will have the top talent, including Black Ferns, out of their franchises provinces, although no sevens stars have been considered because of their focus on Julys Tokyo Olympics.
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Shepherd, who has worked with the Counties Manukau Heat in the Farah Palmer Cup, said the players will not be paid for their involvement in the fixture because its classified as an exhibition match, but he hopes that can change if a Super Rugby competition gets going in 2022.
It could hinge on NZR securing a $465 million deal with overseas investment company Silver Lake.
Its natural progression for the women to shift into Super Rugby after years of Farah Palmer Cup and theres a real appetite from the players for it to happen next year, Shepherd said.
The Auckland clash could be the biggest womens game in the country this year after the World Cup, due to be held in New Zealand, was postponed until 2022 because of Covid-19 complications, something that devastated some Black Ferns stars.
The Chiefs women’s squad have already met for training ahead of their first fixture.
The world champion Black Ferns, who havent played a test in 20 months, are still not guaranteed to play on home soil this year and the Super Rugby match could be the best showcase of those players in either squad.
There are 12 Black Ferns in the Chiefs, including Chelsea Alley and former captain Les Elder, and another nine internationals in the Blues, led by last years national skipper, Eloise Blackwell.
The girls are really, really excited about putting on a Chiefs jersey for the first time. Its going to be a huge occasion, Shepherd said.
Theyre still a bit disappointed about that [World Cup postponement], but theyre very professional in their mindset about such things. A lot of the girls have parked that and this is the next highlight for them to look forward to.
The Chiefs have a head start on the Blues having already trained twice. Their squad is dominated by Counties and Waikato and is completed with players from Bay of Plenty and Taranaki.
The Blues, who will have the experience of Black Ferns legend Anna Richards as an assistant coach, have not gathered yet. Both squads are next meeting up for the week of the match.
Walker is the new Auckland Storm coach and the Blues are stacked with their players, as well as a handful from North Harbour and Northland.
He, too, was confident about the inception of a womens Super Rugby competition in 2022.
There are more people with a higher interest in the womens game, and with the World Cup coming up next year, its an opportune time to get something like this going, Walker said.
This is just the start of what is to come for the womens game. The pressure is not so much on the players, theyve just got to go out there and do their jobs.
Theyre in line for national selection and want to put on a show as much as anyone.
AT A GLANCE
What: Blues vs Chiefs, first womens Super Rugby match
Where, when: Eden Park, Auckland, May 1 at 4:35pm
Blues: Sapphire Abraham, Eloise Blackwell, Sylvia Brunt, Moana Cook, Ruahei Demant, Princess Elliot, Tenaija Fletcher, Aldora Itunu, Shannon Leota, Hayley Hutana, Patricia Maliepo, Charmaine McMenamin, Liana Mikaele-Tuu, Lisa Molia, Natahlia Moors, Krystal Murray, Daynah Nankivell, Tyler Nankivell, Aleisha Nelson, Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate, Cilia-Marie Poe, Maia Roos, Cristo Tofa, Luisa Togotogorua, Stacey Tupe, Kate Williams.
Chiefs: Angel Mulu, Ariana Bayler, Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, Chelsea Alley, Chyna Hohepa, Emily Kitson, Grace Houpapa-Barrett, Harono Te Iringa, Hazel Tubic, Iritana Hohiaia, JayJay Taylor, Kelsey Teneti, Kelsie Wills, Kendra Reynolds, Kennedy Simon, Langi Veainu, Les Elder, Luka Connor, Mia Anderson, Ngatokotoru Arakua, Paige Neilson, Pia Tapsell, Rebecca Burch, Renee Holmes, Shyanne Thompson, Stephanie Lualua, Tachelle Gardiner, Tanya Kalounivale, Waikohika Flesher.