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Moana Pasifika add Hong Kong and Manu Samoa internationals to squad
Moana Pasifika’s off-season recruitment remains in full swing as the expansion franchise has announced the arrival of two hookers to their inaugural Super Rugby Pacific squad.
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The Auckland-based side confirmed on Friday that Manu Samoa rake Ray Niuia join the squad from cross-town rivals, the Blues.
Niuia, who has played 10 tests for Samoa since 2018 and featured at the 2019 World Cup in Japan, was part of the Blues side that won the makeshift Super Rugby Trans-Tasman title this year, helping end the franchise’s 18-year wait for a trophy.
The 30-year-old previously played for the Highlanders in 2019 and will bring eight years’ worth of NPC experience with him to Moana Pasifika after having played for North Harbour, Tasman and current side Manawatu since 2013.
Niuia will be joined at Mt Smart Stadium next year by fellow hooker Luteru Tolai, who becomes the second player of Cook Island heritage to join the franchise after Southland lock Mike McKee was unveiled by Moana Pasifika earlier this week.
Also of Samoan background, Tolai has played for North Harbour in the NPC since 2018 and made his Super Rugby debut for the Blues against the Stormers in Cape Town last March.
The 23-year-old went on to play a further four matches for the Blues throughout the pre-and-post-Covid iterations of Super Rugby last year and made six appearances in this year’s edition of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
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Niuia and Tolai become the first hookers to sign with Moana Pasifika, and their announcements come a day after it was confirmed that the team had acquired the services of Tongan props Tau Koloamatangi and Isi Tu’ungafasi for next year.
An U20 World Championship title-winner with New Zealand in 2015, Koloamatangi was named on the ‘Ikale Tahi bench for their test against the All Blacks in July, but was dropped from the team on the eve of the match due to his solitary test appearance for Hong Kong two years ago.
The 26-year-old’s brief international stint with the Asian minnows came after he left New Zealand in 2016 following two seasons with Waikato to play for Valley in the Hong Kong Premiership and the South China Tigers in the now-defunct Global Rapid Rugby.
Qualifying for Hong Kong on residency grounds, Koloamatangi – who can play on either side of the scrum – started at tighthead in his test debut for the Dragons in a 36-17 win over Belgium in November 2019.
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That proved to be his only test appearance for Hong Kong, but Tongan officials said in July that they were hopeful that World Rugby will denounce his test cap as they believe he had not properly qualified for the Dragons on residency grounds.
While the All Blacks have named a full-strength team to face Wales this weekend, the selection of some players have certainly turned some heads. #AllBlacks #WALvNZL https://t.co/cDLg372DAl
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 29, 2021
Since his sudden axing from the Tongan national squad prior to their 102-0 drubbing at the hands of the All Blacks, Koloamatangi has joined Otago in the NPC, and has played six times for the province this season.
Tu’ungafasi, meanwhile, joins Moana Pasifika from the Crusaders, the side of which he has won three Super Rugby and Super Rugby Aotearoa titles with since joining the Christchurch-based franchise in 2019.
The Nuku’alofa-born 26-year-old brother of All Blacks star Ofa was a teammate of Koloamatangi’s in the 2015 New Zealand U20 side and won an NPC title with Tasman in his first season with the Mako last year.
Prior to that, he made his NPC debut with Auckland in 2015 before relocating to Northland for the 2018 and 2019 domestic seasons.
Confirmed Moana Pasifika signings for 2022 Super Rugby Pacific
Props: Sekope Kepu (Counties Manukau), Tau Koloamatangi (Otago), Isi Tu’ungafasi (Crusaders)
Hookers: Ray Niuia (Blues), Luteru Tolai (Blues)
Locks: Don Lolo (Taieri), Mike McKee (Southland), Veikoso Poloniati (Manawatu)
Loose Forwards: Solomone Funaki (Hawke’s Bay), Lotu Inisi (North Harbour), Jack Lam (Waikato), Alamanda Motuga (Counties Manukau), Henry Time-Stowers (Canterbury), Sione Tu’ipulotu (Auckland)
Halfbacks: Ereatara Enari (Crusaders)
First-Fives: Christian Leali’ifano (NTT Communications Shining Arcs), Lincoln McClutchie (Hawke’s Bay)
Midfielders: Fine Inisi (North Harbour), Henry Taefu (Western Force), Danny Toala (Hurricanes)
Outside Backs: Tomasi Alosio (Wellington), Neria Foma’i (Hawke’s Bay), Timoci Tavatavanawai (Tasman), Lolagi Visinia (Hurricanes)
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
4 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
4 Go to comments