The Waitomo Chiefs Manawa head into Sky Super Rugby Aupiki semifinals today at the top of the table.

The unbeaten Waitomo Chiefs Manawa will face the Hurricanes Poua for the second time this season at North Harbour Stadium.

The Waitomo Chiefs Manawa have been in outstanding form this season with the team topping the leaderboard for tries scored, carries and defenders beaten.

Luka Connor and Georgia Daals have crossed the white line five times each in the pool play rounds cementing their spot in the starting lineup for the fourth week running. Connor holds the top carries statistic for the competition with 41 whilst Daals matches Jamie Kolose of the Blues with 18 defenders beaten.

"The team is connected, and you've seen that over the past three weeks when things get hard, there's a real belief within the group that we will find a way," says Waitomo Chiefs Manawa head coach Crystal Kaua.

Choosing to maintain the continuity of previous weeks, the Waitomo Chiefs Manawa 23 remains mostly unchanged. However, Kaua is not letting the team get complacent despite their winning streak.

"Training is hard, it's full noise. They're toe to toe at training, and they know how to act under pressure because every moment they have been with us it's been pressured.

"We've lost ten Black Ferns XV's or sevens players since last year, what we have delivered to date is special, but these are the moments we train for. In finals footy, we want to see them put out an 80-minute performance, we haven't done that yet."

"We need to play our way, the Manawa way," explained Kaua.

The semifinal clash against the Hurricanes Poua kicks off at 6.05pm on Sunday March 19 following the Blues v Matatū.

Waitomo Chiefs Manawa team:

Kate Henwood
Luka Connor
Tanya Kalounivale
Kelsie Thwaites
Chelsea Bremner
Charmaine Smith
Tynealle Fitzgerald
Kennedy Simon (C)
Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu (VC)
Hazel Tubic
Georgia Daals
Azalleyah Maaka
Carla Hohepa
Mererangi Paul
Tenika Willison

Reserves

Grace Houpapa-Barrett
Harono Te Iringa
Te Urupounamu McGarvey
Dhys Faleafaga
Victoria Makea
Violet Hapi-Wise
Abigail Roach
Apii Nicholls

Tickets are on sale now for Sky Super Rugby Aupiki Finals at FMG Stadium Waikato: https://bit.ly/42iUKvE