Tony Christie gives insight into how Matatū will perform in Super Rugby Aupiki 2023

Tony Christie chats to media ahead of the start of the Super Rugby Aupiki 2023 Season

Heading into the second-ever season of Super Rugby Aupiki, we caught up with Matatū assistant coach Tony Christie to talk through strategies to put points on the board. 

“We learnt a lot in 2022 about how the team works together, where our strengths and weaknesses are, and how we can build on the foundation we’ve already built,” Christie said. 

“Where we’re looking to get better this year is around the contact areas, so that’s ball into contact, the breakdown on both sides of the ball, and our tackle technique.” 

Plenty of work was being done on the team’s structure on the grass, something Christie said the coaching staff wanted to be “world-leading”. 

“We’ve got some ideas around our shape on attack, and how we can generate quick ball. We want to play a wide, exciting and innovative game, and let the players express themselves,” he said. 

In September, re-appointed Head Coach Blair Baxter said the team in 2022 were 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,” Baxter said. 

“It’s made us really hungry as a coaching group to ensure the girls get a chance to actually showcase how good they are.” 

For most players, 2023 represents their second year as a professional rugby player. Christie said they’d all learnt a lot, especially those who had recently played with the Black Ferns. 

“We’ve seen a huge progression in their skill set, their tactical understanding of the game, and their physical ability. Plus, our mental skills coach Jessie Hansen has done awesome work to get the girls ready to perform under pressure,” Christie said.

Left to right - Assistant Coach Tony Christie, Assistant Coach Whitney Hansen, Amy du Plessis, Georgia Ponsonby

Matatū are thrilled to have two home games this season, after the 2022 season was impacted by Covid and limited the competition’s travel options.  

Get down and support the girls when they take on the Blues in their season opener on 25 February at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, and Hurricanes Poua on 4 March at Ngā Puna Wai in Christchurch.