Super Rugby Aupiki coaches assemble ahead of 2025 season

Four coaches, 10 questions.

As the Super Rugby Aupiki teams assemble ahead of the start of the season on March 1st, we check in with Willie Walker (Blues), Dwayne Sweeney (Chiefs), Fusi Feaunati (Hurricanes) and Whitney Hansen (Matutu) to give insights into their teams, their pre-season plans, how they view their rivals, their hopes for the future of the competition and how important this season is in helping prepare the Black Ferns for the defence of their Rugby World Cup title.

How would you describe the ethos or culture of your team?

Willie Walker: It’s built around care and enjoyment. We want to care about the people in our group and our wider club, and we want to enjoy what we do, so we make sure that our environment is one where everybody feels comfortable and safe, want to be part of it, want to stay at or want to join, and we back that up by making sure that people enjoy what they do.

Dwayne Sweeney: If you look at the Chiefs as a whole our culture kind of rings true to our region. We're extremely proud of where we come from, we're extremely proud of our connection to our community and that’s no different to our team, the Manawa. The players care a lot about who they represent, as well as representing themselves with pride. In terms of an ethos and the way we like to play the game, it’s with expression and enjoyment, and having fun. A mantra that has been sort of left by (former coach) Crystal (Kaua) is we play beautiful but brutal rugby.

Fusi Feaunati: The team is very well connected. Management and players are strongly unified, and we’ve got a greater understanding of who we are and our ‘why’. We’re intentional and determined to perform excellently on and off the field.

Whitney Hansen: Our team culture is founded on our four Matatutanga, which reflects the core values of who we are and why we exist; tumanawa (determination), tuaho (legacy), tuhono (connections) and tutira (unity) in representing the South Island. It is a foundation that guides both our management and player selection process, with the aim of enhancing and strengthening the team's character and overall culture year on year.

What continues to set us apart is our uniquely feminine and contemporary approach to everything we do, which is not based on any pre-existing brand in the Super Rugby landscape. Instead, it is specifically designed for wahine rugby, and is continuously evolving to meet the needs and aspirations of our team.

What were the key elements you looked for in putting together your squad?

WW: We’re very lucky that we’ve got a majority of our squad back from last year. Our retainment rate was really high, with only a couple of positions where we had either lost players due to injury or being unavailable, or had other girls putting their hands up and wanting to be part of it and giving themselves an opportunity through their form to be selected. So we needed a couple of key areas, front row is always key to making sure that our platforms are set and a couple of key signings in the back line. So we're pretty happy across the board.

DS: We’ve got some really experienced players within our region that have got an amazing amount of knowledge at the highest level, with a number of Black Ferns that have played for a long period of time and some Olympic gold medallists. I was really excited about the opportunity to pair that calibre of experience with some really exciting new, up-and-coming talents that have come through our region in Waikato, Counties and Bay of Plenty, and even going down to Taranaki there’s a couple from there in our wider training squad.

FF: There were many, but the critical few elements were an acceptance of wanting to be a part of a change of direction. In particular, a significant shift in conditioning standards, also a strong desire to compete toward a goal, and wanting to create a legacy for the success and sustainability of the Hurricanes Poua.

WH: We look at depth in each position to ensure we have strong coverage across the board and varieties of skill sets and strengths in different positions to create diversity and balance within the team. Experience is another important factor, as we want players who can bring valuable knowledge and leadership to the field.

Additionally, we aim to integrate new talent that we can nurture and develop over time, especially from within our South Island unions. We look at the potential strong connections and combinations between players to bring a point of difference. Above all, we look for individuals who uphold our character and embody the values of our Matatutanga.

What would you like the competition to look like in 2026 and beyond?

WW: Grow. Grow substantially to a full-time programme to allow our girls to develop into professional rugby players. We're under threat by rugby league, they've got a lot of resources, and we've got to find a way of fighting back against that. Add the Aussies in…there's no benefit in us playing ourselves three times, we beat each other up enough, perhaps a couple of Japanese teams and I know there are some Pacific Island teams that are out there. Grow the game so that we get more exposure, more eyes, and more opportunity.

DS: I’m just really keen to see that constant growth within the game itself. I've been really lucky that I've been able to resource our team extremely well with assistant coaches to a very high calibre and I think that only bodes well for a better product in terms of the players being able to develop their individual skills, to continue to improve and to be a spectacle. I think the competition will go where it kind of needs to go in time, but I would personally like to see the continuation of growth with better and better performances.

FF: More games for our women, maybe an extended competition with Super W. Better remuneration to support our players giving up more time to add development and growth to get higher standards in the game. Fulltime opportunities for our women in rugby, as well as men who genuinely support our women and girls in rugby.

WH: Full-time contracts for players and staff, international crossover, decent preseason block and a

longer competition format.