Krystal Murray Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Black Fern Krystal Murray's move to the Hurricanes Poua for the second season of Super Rugby Aupiki creates a formidable forward pack in the capital but she didn't know what she was signing up for.
Murray is a proud Northlander who represented the Blues in the first edition of Super Rugby Aupiki. Leaving the region to play alongside some of her Black Ferns team mates in a different environment was an easy decision for the prop even though she admits she made the switch without knowing who would be the Poua coach.
Former Black Fern Victoria Grant steps into the head coach role after being Wes Clarke's understudy for the Hurricanes Poua's inaugural season.
Grant is one of two female head coaches in Super Rugby Aupiki and Murray is looking forward to seeing how she works.
"I just wanted to try something new and venture out of my comfort zone," Murray says.
"I wanted to see how different coaching styles are and see how I can fit in with all of that."
For Grant the shift to head coach brings a different perspective leading into the season.
"I really enjoyed being assistant coach last year under Wes it was really cool to just concentrate on the rugby piece but actually I'm really enjoying this year around the big picture and you can really guide and help navigate your team in the right direction."
Team culture is important to Murray and she likes what she's seen so far at the Poua.
Murray is one of three Blues players who join the Poua and she will team up with her Black Ferns lock and Rugby World Cup final hero lock Joanah Ngan-Woo in forward pack.
Black Fern Joanah Ngan-Woo has a new Super Rugby Aupiki team mate in Krystal Murray. Photo: John Davidson / www.photosport.nz
Playing alongside friends and under the guidance of people who understand their players outside of rugby has made Murray feel comfortable in her new team.
Murray took a break from training over summer following the Black Ferns' Rugby World Cup win in November - a move that the Poua fully supported.
"We still had a programme to follow but it was awesome because our trainer from the Canes was really hardout about us getting family time in so he shortened our trainings but still had a lot of quality in them so it was quite good."
Murray says she is on an adventure. She'll remain based in Kaitaia and link up with her Poua team mates each week - a bit of a longer commute than the trip down the highway to Auckland but one she is committed to as she expands her rugby experience.
"It makes you a bit more open to learning and trying to understand different environments because we had such a great environment with the Black Ferns last year so just knowing that each team is different, they have different cultures and it's about being open and seeing what works for this team in particular and seeing how it is going to drive us to be the best and try and win Aupiki."
Grant will also be leaning on the likes of Murray to help some of the younger athletes in the team come to terms with the pressures of playing in a top tier competition.
"When you become an athlete it's not a straight rise to the top so the biggest piece of it is being able to cope with the ups and downs of being a professional sportsperson, it's not an easy gig.
"I think sometimes especially rugby player life gets glamorised a little bit and really that's not what it looks like, it's a lot of hard work, it's a lot of sacrifice and it's a lot of personal ups and downs and you've got to go with it and bounce back.
"Our older players being able to help our younger players through that to put a little bit of perspective on things sometimes helps quite a bit just the bigger picture but really having those senior players being able to share their experiences because they didn't get where they are now as just a straight line rise to the top they've all had many challenges and for the younger players hearing that is really important."
Super Rugby Aupiki was disrupted by Covid in 2022 and most involved see this season as a fresh start to the competition.
Krystal Murray is hoping the momentum of the Black Ferns' Rugby World Cup win will translate to more support for Super Rugby Aupiki. Photo: Supplied / World Rugby
"It was quite hard for us last year during Aupiki," Murray says. "We didn't know what was happening and things were changing on the hour and the rules kept changing."
She hopes 2023 is more consistent and more competitive after there was a great divide between the top (Chiefs Manawa) and bottom (Matatu) team in the first season.
Murray believes the Poua have as good a chance as any of the sides to lift the trophy this year.
"There has been a few retirements happen but man the people that have been sitting behind those players they're ready to go and I know that they want to be showing Aotearoa and everyone what they are capable of. They've just been getting itchy feet sitting behind some of those players and now their opportunity has come so I think it's going to be a lot harder [to win the competition] I feel they're going to bring a lot more flair and a lot more spark to the game because they're just so hungry for it.
"So I think the competition will be a lot more challenging and it's only going to grow and that's what we want."
Crowds of thousands flocked to the Rugby World Cup fixtures in Auckland and Northland last year and Murray hopes the momentum from that will have some impact on Super Rugby Aupiki.
"We would love to have 40,000 people at an Aupiki game but I feel with the support there now and the momentum it will be better than what it has been and it's just small steps but that's what we need in the women's game is the support and the crowds at the games."