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Ex-All Black Julian Savea one of 10 potential debutants for Moana Pasifika
Former Hurricanes and All Blacks wing Julian Savea will start at inside centre for Moana Pasifika as one of 10 club debutants to take on the Highlanders in their season-opener.
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Savea, 33, and midfield partner Pepesana Patafilo are both among the fresh faces to play for the club in a competitive match, as is left winger Viliami Fine.
Most of the debutants come in the forwards, though, with captain James Lay, hooker Sama Malolo, prop Sione Mafileo and lock Tom Savage to represent the team for the first time.
“It’s pretty exciting. I look back at what it took to get here. If you asked me three years ago where I’d be, I wouldn’t have said I’d be playing Super Rugby. I took the long route but I made it a goal when I left home in 2021, and it’s a good feeling knowing that it paid off,” debutant Viliami Fine said in a statement.
“I know a few boys in the Highlanders so it’s special playing against a few of my teammates, and doing it at the same stadium.”
“It will be good to go up against Timoci Tavatavanawai. He’s probably one of the best attacking wingers in the comp so it will be a good test for myself.
“Someone that I’ve learned off was Pepesana Patafilo. When I first came in, the first few weeks they told me that I needed to fix my defence. And he’s someone that’s helped me a lot. Julian Savea and Nigel Ah Wong, they help me a lot too. Just watching what they do on the field and picking up habits has helped me grow my game as well,” Fine added.
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“I’m grateful that they gave me a chance to show what I can do and what I’ve worked for. Now they’ve given me an opportunity, I’m just going to make the most of it.”
Lock Samuel Slade, flankers Miracle Failagi and Alamanda Motuga, and No. 8 Lotu Inisi are also all set to start after playing for Moana Pasifika in the past.
As for the backs, Ereatara Enari joins William Havili in the halves. Right winger Nigel Ah Wong and fullback Danny Toala have also been named to start.
This match at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium is scheduled for a 7.05 pm NZT kick-off on Saturday evening.
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Moana Pasifika team to take on Highlanders
- James Lay* (c)
- Sama Malolo*
- Sione Mafileo*
- Tom Savage*
- Samuel Slade
- Miracle Failagi
- Alamanda Motuga
- Lotu Inisi
- Ereatara Enari
- William Havili
- Viliami Fine*
- Julian Savea*
- Pepesana Patafilo*
- Nigel Ah Wong
- Danny Toala
Reserves
- Samiuela Moli
- Abraham Pole
- Suetena Asomua
- Allan Craig*
- Jacon Norris*
- Aisea Halo*
- D’Angelo Leuila
- Anzelo Tuitavuki
*Debut
Unavailalbe due to injury/illness: Sekope Kepu, Ofa Tauatevalu, Sione Havili-Talitui, Solomone Funaki, Iakopo Mapu, Semisi Paea, Jonathan Taumateine, Lalomilo Lalomilo, Henry Taefu
Comments on RugbyPass
Great work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
35 Go to comments