Ardie Savea's herculean effort powers Moana Pasifika past the Highlanders

The last game of Super Rugby Pacific, round twelve, was close to a must-win game for both Moana Pasifika and the Highlanders at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, as both teams sit a couple of places outside the 2025 playoff picture.

The Highlanders had never been beaten by Moana Pasifika in their first five encounters, the closest of those matches being earlier on this season in round three, where the Highlanders just snuck by, 31-29.

Records are made to be broken and on Sunday afternoon in Dunedin, Moana Pasifika kept their season alive with a 34-29 victory in Dunedin.

It was the home side in their ‘Club round’ that started the stronger of the two teams, with Highlanders fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens pouncing on a loose ball as Moana Pasifika attempted to run the ball out of their own 22.

Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens calmly caught the ball under little to no pressure, to score the first try of the match.

Highlanders first five Cameron Millar converted Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens’ try from right out in front.

Moana Pasifika were then able to work their way downfield by spreading the ball wide to Kyren Taumoefolau, who fired a pass to Lalomilo Lalomilo to carry the ball close to the line. A couple of phases later, Moana Pasifika captain Ardie Savea went close, before Danny Toala bullied his way over the line. Jackson Garden-Bachop successfully added the extras from close to the posts.

The quick succession of tries continued in Dunedin, as a beautiful TK Howden offload put Highlanders midfielder Thomas Umaga-Jensen through a gap, who passed to Jonah Lowe, where the winger proved too big, too strong close to the line.

This time around, Millar was unable to convert the try, taking the home side’s lead to only five after fifteen minutes.

The two teams were still inside the opening quarter of the match as the away side threatened again. Off the back of a Highlanders infringement, Moana Pasifika decided to go to the corner, successfully taking down the lineout before the try scorer for the away side went from scorer to provider.

Toala punched a perfectly weighted grubber kick into the Highlanders in goal, for the ever-impressive Lalomilo to get on the end of. Lalomilo beat Highlanders halfback Nathan Hastie to the ball, putting Moana Pasifika in front, 14-12 just after 20 minutes.

One of the most exciting players this year for Moana Pasifika Miracle Fai’ilagi found himself on the right wing, breaking tackles and gaining a mountain of meters down the Highlanders’ left-hand touchline. The Highlanders were able to nullify the break, as Taumoefolau just couldn’t push his way through the defence.

Just as the halftime hooter went, Ardie Savea manhandled his way through a Highlanders ruck, winning a penalty just inside the home side’s half. William Havili’s long penalty attempt only just made its way over the posts, giving Moana Pasifika a halftime lead.

HT: 12-17 to Moana Pasifika.

The second half at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin didn’t start the way Moana Pasifika would have liked it to, with fullback William Havili copping a yellow card after a high shot on Cameron Millar.

Even with 14-men on the field, Savea and Moana Pasifika were still tough to contain. The Moana Pasifika captain put the team on his back as he put in a grubber kick for himself, before kicking it again close to the line, falling on the ball and scoring the first points of the second half.

Replacement playmaker Patrick Pellegrini missed the conversion from the sideline, keeping the away side’s lead to only seven.

Jamie Joseph’s Highlanders then started ramping up the pressure, barging their way up the field, forcing Moana Pasifika to give away a penalty just outside of their 22.

The Highlanders opted for the lineout, where they eventually carried their way to the Moana Pasifika line.

Just as you thought Moana Pasifika might hold on at this particular moment, replacement halfback Folau Fakatava produced a piece of brilliance, with a behind-the-back pass to Jonah Lowe for his second try of the evening.

With just under fifteen minutes remaining in the round twelve contest, it was Moana Pasifika with the momentum and the ball heading into the Highlanders’ 22. It was that man again, Ardie Savea, with a basketball-type pass over the top to Taumoefolau, who fired a quick pass outside to Fai’ilagi as he powered over the covering defender.

Once again, Pellegrini was unable to add the extras from the right-hand touchline,  keeping the score at 27-22 with 14 minutes to go.

As the game entered the final ten minutes, Highlanders replacement hooker Jack Taylor found himself at the back of a solid lineout maul.

Referee Paul Williams took his time in making a decision close to the line, but Taylor had planted the ball under a mountain of bodies.

Taine Robinson was able to convert the try, giving the Highlanders a slim 29-27 lead with under seven minutes to go.

Just as you thought the game was likely over, Moana Pasifika’s replacement halfback Melani Matavao proved to be the hero, charging down a Robinson clearing kick and scooping the ball up to score in the corner.

Pellegrini crucially converted the try from out wide, putting the game out of reach for the Highlanders.

FT: 34-29 to Moana Pasifika.