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Super Rugby Pacific

Moana Pasifika announce exit from Super Rugby following 2026 season

Ned Lester

Published: 14 April 2026 16:04 PDT

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 27: Moana Pasifika gather after the loss during the round three Super Rugby match between Moana Pasifika and the Western Force at Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe on February 27, 2026, in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)

Moana Pasifika have announced that 2026 will be the club’s final year competing in Super Rugby Pacific. The announcement was made on Wednesday morning, five years after the club’s debut in the competition.

A statement from the club described the decision as “heartbreaking”, with the disbandment of its Super Rugby operations affecting 60 players and staff members, as well as the broader Pasifika community.

“This decision comes after extensive consideration of the financial, operational, and strategic realities facing the franchise as well as professional rugby in New Zealand. Despite the tireless dedication of players, staff, and supporters, it is no longer viable to continue the franchise at this level of competition,” Wednesday’s press release read.

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Established in 2020 and joining Super Rugby in 2022, with the competition rebranding to lean into its revamped ‘Pacific’ identity, Moana Pasifika won two games in their opening season and proceeded to improve their results in each of their four season heading into 2026.

By the 2025 season, which saw All Blacks star Ardie Savea arrive at the club, Moana Pasifika was competing for a maiden playoff berth with a record of six wins and eight losses.

The club said they will “provide support” for all staff and players moving forward, with Savea among those contracted for the 2027 season.

“This is one of the hardest decisions we have ever made,” Moana Pasifika Chair, Dr Kiki Maoate said. “We are immensely proud of our players, staff, and the community who have supported our team over the years.

“Across our rugby, pathways and community programmes, we have been able to support a growing hub of Pacific talent across multiple sporting codes, both locally and in the Pacific region. This is something we are extremely proud of and will continue to support and advocate for as best we can.

“Our commitment now is to ensure a smooth transition for everyone affected and to celebrate our legacy by finishing the season strong.”

The team’s 2026 captain, Miracle Faiilagi, is one of the club’s big success stories, stepping straight from Samoa onto the Super Rugby stage and blossoming into one of the competition’s premier loose forwards. Head coach Tana Umaga, who was set to depart the club at season’s end to join Dave Rennie’s new All Blacks coaching group regardless of the club’s fate, had expanded the club’s pre-season trial program to identify more young Pasifika talent and give them a shot at making the step up to professional rugby.

“We acknowledge our loyal fans for standing by us through the highs and lows – your support has meant everything to us, especially our players. We ask that you stand by your team today,” Dr Maoate added.

“Our story has been one of resilience – not just as a franchise, but as Pacific people. While this will be devastating news to process, we continue to look ahead and navigate these next steps together, just as our people always have.”

Comments

61 Comments

JW 134 days ago

Really, damn that’s sad. Feel for the guy.

I’ll have to look up these baseball scenarios and get a feel for them.

Bazzallina 136 days ago

The Pacific Islanders team should be rebooted every four years players out of any comp any country are eligible and should play against quality teams …this may not help their national teams directly but I think a tour up North could possibly generate cash for their unions and help inspire kids to play union and not choose NRL create that buzz around Pasifika rugby, eligibility rules should be changed by blood ( grandparent) or birth then committing at beginning of year should be good enough David Havilii for example should be able to play for Tonga at World Cup ( tho he might be already with last test for ABs being in 24) let’s get the best out there my feels anyhow

Bazzallina 136 days ago

Well Miracle Failangi bank balance going to look a lot better by this time next year can do it all that dude plus that Xtra

JW 135 days ago

Sadly does this mean he transitions to the All Blacks?

Hey already hadn’t played for Manu Samoa since the World Cup, until there much win qualifying game. You’d have to think this not only ends Moana but also their International unions. Can’t see them qualifying during the NH offseason, with a what will mostly now be, amateur team.

I hope it doesn’t happen, hes ruled himself out for another 3 years, hopefully he’s already made that decision, it would be a shame not see him in the int game (no matter how infrequent that might be) for tht time. Would be great if Moana could keep the Miracle concept alive by forming a fund to help keep such inspirational players in the lives of Pacific people, whether at the Blues or in Aus somehwere.

Also really like your 4 year tour concept to show the real power of the pacific, but it should include Maori as well.

DC 136 days ago

well sadly they should be let go and replaced by a somoan team like fijidua are

JW 135 days ago

Hows that going to find the funds?

Mitch 136 days ago

Right, with the tournament having 10 teams (as things stand), next season, every team plays each other twice so you have a tournament containing a mildly acceptable amount of content.

Twe teams have bitten the dust inside the last 24 months which doesn't happen in a thriving competition.

Look at the crowds - it's just not capturing the imagination of fans in Australasia. The inevitability of an all New Zealand final ain’t helping.

Rugby toots its horn about its international profile but how about creating a competition that captures the imagination of its local market?

What was the best competition in the world outside of Test rugby is a shadow of its self.

JW 135 days ago

Have aussie crowds been down?

NZs are still on the up and up I’d say from watching, it would make more sense to keep the season length short and have the double national divisions only.

JW 136 days ago

Sad news. I'm glad they realized thus reality though;

it is no longer viable to continue the franchise at this level of competition

Hope they can find a way to continue in some way, even if for now just in the community with volunteer / chsrity work.

Saw a wildkard video about NRL and gov investment, NZ government should do the same and counter that in rugby by backing Moana.

GodOfFriedChicken 136 days ago

NZ and Aus should do a joint investment here given the amount both nations have benefited. NZ’s a terrible media market for most pro sports teams unless they want to sell out hard to gambling or link up with a bigger media market e.g. Australia.

On top of that Super Rugby needs to do more to make player movement more equitable and financially viable. With the number of players that Moana lost last year, imagine if they were able to get transfer fees for example like European clubs? Or actual trades and compensation for players they lost within other teams in the competition like Aumua, Taumoefolau or Tavatavanawai.

If they were able to get a big one off investment in broadcast infrastructure that could actually stay in the islands (since the $600k price tag that they needed money for came from transporting broadcast equipment, generators and staff from NZ) then that would help immensely in terms of more regular games in the islands. If they could say get a joint investment with the NRL (and maybe even host a Pacific Championships game or two there) then that could make it more financially viable. Then with that big recurring cost sorted, they could team up with some local tourism in the area to encourage more outsiders to go. I’ve just been in Tonga originally hoping to go to that game and there were a fair amount of Kiwis who’d planned to go (kept running into them at a number of tourist spots too), so it’s doable.

And it pains me to say this as a Kiwi, but perhaps Australia might be better equipped to properly help them with this. In place of the Moana Pasifika and Chiefs game, they were able to have a Penina Pasifika Samoa vs Tonga game instead (basically two national team squads made up of home grown players only. It’s funded by the Australian government (and I think partially supported by Japan?) and seems to be doing a lot for at least women’s Pasifika rugby. Most similar events in NZ seem to be run independent of the govt, with Moana hosting a number of them.

BleedRed&Black 136 days ago

Super Rugby governance just can’t seem to pick winners. Primarily because they keep going for “New Market” development rather than exploiting and developing existing structures.

Of the original 12 teams, all 12 are still operating 30 years later. All other than the Crusaders and Chiefs have had major financial issues, but they are still here because they are supported by their national unions.

Of the 8 created since, 5 have collapsed, Kings, Jaguares, Sunwolves, Rebels and now MP, while the Cheetahs are only semi-pro.

Western Force are sustained by a billionaire, have never been competitive, and will probably collapse soon after the Perth Bears NRL start next year.

The Drua have a massive Fiji government subsidy to keep them going. They are probably financially viable long term, but will never be competitive because they lose their top talent to Europe/Japan and can’t handle winter rugby.

SR needs to go full season, 20 to 24 rounds, giving the teams the commercial footprint to sustain themselves. Just like the rest of the pro rugby world. And league. No more “New Market” idiocy.

AR have add to restart SR AU because their players aren’t getting enough game time. Which is insane after 30 years.

Given that NZ’s SR teams are now supporting 38 full time and 12 part time players each, and NZR have had to create a B team comp to give all those players game time, NZR has to ask themselves if spreading that massive wage cost over 6 or 7 teams would extract more value, while also creating a bridge to professionalism for the better teams in the NPC.

Either that or accept 30 to 40 percent of those players sitting on the sidelines each week, generating no revenue or interest.

Given that expansion has failed catastrophically, yet again, maybe they should try maximisation, and expanding the number of games amongst existing teams and look for new teams where they are viable, as in the top of the NPC, and do what everyone has been doing for decades.

Brumby Jacks mate 136 days ago

Given we’ll be down to 10 teams next year they only need to extend the season 4 rounds for a full home and away season.

JW 136 days ago

You couldn't get a more developed example than Pasifika in Auckland. I think you need to keep looking for a reason.

PickOllieMathisOrKeepLosing,Rob. 136 days ago

What inspires pasifika kids more?

Watching Moana pasifika getting hammered every week or watching pasifika star players dominating rugby league every week?

JW 135 days ago

I’d say it depends on what the kid has been brought up to support. Miracle would be doing a good job at it wouldn’t he?

John Breslin 136 days ago

Terrible. Just terrible

A global health crisis put the world on hold for 2020/21 and WR opened the cheque book to protect tier one nations

Could we all not chip in and help a team out?

Are the games core values not about spreading the word and growing the sport? How many young kids would have been fully onboard and turning up for those home games?

Fiji back to being asset stripped again

KC 136 days ago

“Could we all not chip in and help a team out?”

Only if we do the same for whichever Welsh team ends up being cut; and the 6 Premier league teams that are (balance sheet) insolvent; and the US teams that have withdrawn from the MRL this year (6 of them if I recall); and…, and…, and…

Sure this is sad, but they should never have recruited players like Savea who come with a high price tag; or been Aukland based, which is (relatively) more expensive to run a business in.

Rugby is a tough commercial business, with winning one of few ways to get to commercial success. The problem is that teams think they can buy their way into winning, they then spend too much trying to lure top talent and find themselves in a hole when their backers (private or public) realise they won't get a return on investment and refuse to throw good money after bad, leaving the team overextended.

If I were a betting man, I'd say Newcastle Red Bulls is falling into the same trap and will face the same issues (again) in ~5 years.

JW 136 days ago

Agreed WR should front up.

BR 136 days ago

It’s not the Drua it’s Moana.. two different teams.

PickOllieMathisOrKeepLosing,Rob. 136 days ago

I think it’s just the fact it costs 10-12 million a year to run a team and no one has the cash.

If it was me, I’d rebrand them as Moana Pasifika Tyrannosaurs.

That’s 10 million a year in Tyrannosaurus Rex merch/jerseys/toys a year at least, not to mention every kid in the worlds loyalty for life.

But, no one asks me.

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