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Ardie Savea crowned Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year
By Finn Morton
Ardie Savea has been crowned the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year with two rounds left in the regular season, having enjoyed a sensational campaign with Moana Pasifika that included a first-ever win over local rivals the Blues on Saturday.
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Savea carried the ball 21 times for 90 metres, won three turnovers, beat a handful of defenders, had one line break and another clean break assist. It was a masterful display from the 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year, with Moana hanging on for a 27-21 win at home.
Moana’s captain claimed the maximum six votes against the Blues, who has 42 votes across the season, which secured the award. Tom Hooper (31 votes) and Damian McKenzie (28 votes) are both unable to catch Savea, with only two rounds to play before the Finals Series.
After 14 rounds, Savea is eighth overall for defenders beaten with 34, has run for more than 350 post-contact metres, made 110 tackles, won 15 turnovers, and scored five tries. Savea set the tone with a standout performance on debut and carried that form throughout the season.
“Ardie’s passionate leadership and dominant performances for Moana Pasifika this year have made an indelible mark on his teammates, his opponents and our competition as a whole,” Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley said in a statement.
“He has received votes from the opposition in almost every game he has played this season, which reflects the consistency of his output and influence on his team.
“The Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year being a peer-voted award, where our players are recognised on a weekly basis by their fellow players and coaches, gives it the greatest possible significance.
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“We are delighted that Ardie Savea is the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year.”
After a season in Japan Rugby League One with Kobelco Kobe Steelers, Savea was unveiled as Moana’s newest recruit on July 22, 2024. It was a signing that sparked worldwide interest, with the news dominating rugby headlines around the world for days.
Coach Tana Umaga later named Savea as Moana’s captain ahead of the new season, and it didn’t take the backrower long to lead by example on the field. Savea put in a huge 80-minute shift on debut against the Western Force in round one, which Moana lost in the final play.
Umaga moved Savea to openside flanker, and that proved to be a stroke of genius, with the All Black scoring two tries in as many games against the Queensland Reds and Highlanders. The 31-year-old would later score a double in a historic win over the Crusaders in Christchurch.
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Savea crossed for a stunning chip-and-chase ‘try’ against the Fijian Drua in round 11, only for the TMO to rule that effort out after it had initially been awarded. But the following week, Savea was back in the headlines, finishing off a stunning solo effort against the Highlanders.
With Savea leading the way, Moana are currently sixth on the ladder with away trips to Hamilton and Wellington coming up. Savea will officially be presented the Player of the Year medal after the team’s final regular season match against the Hurricanes on May 31.
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Amazing effort Ardie. For whatever reason last year had been your worst in black since stepping up as one of the starting rocks of the team, that’s an increasing level of performance that over 4 years culminated in a deserved World Player of the Year award. That in itself was an amazing effort that was by no means followed by as bad a year the like that should have seen you out of contention for the top spot, but for your standards to be slightly marred to then return the way you have this year is nothing sort of fantastic, and the best I think you’ve played.
Well done.
Inaugural? That’s interesting. So many people wrote that Hoskins was the Super Rugby player of the year last year. Clearly that was their (legitimate) opinion, not the offical version like this. Ardie against the Blues was unbelievable. Truly amazing. The whole MP loose forward trio were outstanding, completely dominating the Blues’ trio.
Different years mate. 2024 was the same as 2023, as 2022, and well basically back since forever.
2025 is this year. Big difference. Don’t know why you’re signaling out 2024, or Hoskins.
Is it because it’s got a new skin, a new name?
He has to be in the mix even though I have heard it mentioned that he has a lack of size to foot it with the big guys he will come up against at international level. Size of the heart he plays with is the answer to that of course. Would be a worthy skipper too leading from the front as he does. Scooter Barrett is capable enough too but doesn’t have the same dynamism.
He’s got a pretty good sample size in international footy to disprove that theory
Yes, it’ll be interesting to see how Razor interprets his first year on the job. Whether he and Jason in particular have moved on from a Crusaders-centric mind-set and can start trusting the skills and passions of other players. I don’t think he’d be criticised or perceived as weak if he gave Ardie the captaincy for this new era (which was supposed to begin last year but didn’t). Scooter would be a great deputy, if he can keep his test jersey. But if Ardie is played at 8 again, and is not the captain, it’ll be a clear indication that we’re going to get the same-old same-old holding pattern and I’d also expect a recycling of the Reeces and Havilis and Blackadders. Time to move on, onwards and upwards towards a RWC in 27.
Why ruin it? Ardie is playing exactly how we want now, stick with a good thing I reckon.
I’ve always thought that passion was an over-rated attribute of a team captain, but after witnessing Savea’s talismanic performances for MP, I have to think that I have been wrong, and maybe he should lead the ABs as well.