The team representing the South Island ran away with a 29-7 victory against the Poua in Christchurch today, to go with their win over Chiefs Manawa last weekend.
It is a perfect start to the season for Matatu, who dropped their opening four games of last season.
Matatu made a rapid start with three lovely tries in the opening 20 minutes.
Off the back of a scrum, Matatu kept the ball alive, shifted it through several hands before second five Grace Brooker finished it off.
The Poua then knocked the ball on and Brooker pounced, kicking it into the back space for winger Fia Laikong.
She offloaded a beautiful ball inside to fullback Kaea Nepia, who put her foot down for a classy finish.
Winger Winnie Palamo added another after side stepping through the Poua defence.
Nepia snuck through for another in a brilliant effort and Hannah King added the extras to lead 24-0 after 30 minutes.
The Poua created opportunities for themselves, but constantly spilled the ball as their handling error count started to mount.
They finally found their opener through Black Ferns winger Ayesha Leti-I’iga, who fended off Palamo and stepped through the rest of Matatu defence.
Matatu held a 24-7 lead at halftime.
The second half became a bit of a bunfight between the two teams.
Neither team really gave an inch and Matatu defended staunchly for long phases to keep the Poua out.
The Poua edged closer to the line, but they maintained working it tight between their forwards.
Matatu captain Alana Bremner stripped the ball, and Maia Joseph banged it down field, squandering any scoring opportunities.
The home team finally scored in the 67th minute from a set play from the back of their scrum.
Joseph fired a skip ball out to Palamo, who stepped through the Poua defence before she was brought down and popped it up to flanker Lucy Jenkins who scored.
It gave Matatu a 29-7 lead, which they held until the final whistle, keeping the Poua scoreless in the second half.
Matatu now face the defending champions the Blues in Nelson – their first game in the city – on Saturday.
The scores
Matatu 29 (Kaea Nepia 2, Grace Brooker, Winnie Palamo, Lucy Jenkins tries; Hannah King 2 con), Hurricanes Poua 7 (Ayesha Leti-I’iga try; Cassie Siataga con). Halftime: Matatu 24-7.
