Chelsea Bremner and Ruby Tui celebrate a try. Photo: Aaron Gillions
The Chiefs have continued to fend off questions surrounding political messages performed by their women's team, Chiefs Manawa, despite those messages still being unclear.
Speaking to RNZ reporters at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton, coach Crystal Kaua congratulated her team on a hard-fought 17-10 win over the Blues Women in Auckland on Saturday.
Kaua said a car accident delayed the team bus, turning an otherwise manageable journey into a four-hour bus ride.
"Our bus was on these small little corner roads, we had a 20-minute warm up, and we had gastro. Actually really proud of that win against the Blues, we had to win ugly. We never got that opportunity last season to play a game within the rounds that was a much of fight as that one was," she said.
"I'm grateful for the four-hour bus trip, I'm grateful for the 20-minute warm up, and I'm grateful to gastro for giving us an opportunity to dig deep. It wasn't a pretty game but we had an over 90 percent tackle rate."
Chiefs Manawa players Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu and Ruby Tui did not participate in the team's haka on Saturday, standing still and silent at the back of the team while they performed.
This followed the word "kāwanatanga" being used in the team's season opening haka performance against the Hurricanes Poua, although the context in which it was used remains unclear.
Crystal Kaua of Chiefs Manawa Photo: Photosport
When asked about the 'hinengaro' or mental well-being of the team's Māori players, Kaua said "they feel connected and supported and together".
Further questioning on the aftermath of the team's haka were shut down by the club's media management team during the interview.
A statement released by the club last week said they believed "players are entitled to their views" and they provided "an environment where every individual can be themselves by supporting our Chiefs wāhine and tane to be the best they can be on and off the field."
Waikato-Tainui has thrown its support behind the Chiefs Manawa for using its public platform to express political views.
Waikato-Tainui executive chairperson Tuku Morgan said the team's haka - He Piko, He Taniwha - drew on historical narratives that spoke to the Crown confiscation of Tainui land.
However, Morgan could not confirm if he had a full understanding of what was performed at the Chief Manamas' first match.
"Whether it's Ruby Tui or the leader from the team from Wellington, the message is undeniable. Both of them stand by the challenge laid down in those haka against the Crown," he said.
