Moana Pasifika announce exit from Super Rugby following 2026 season

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.

Hows that going to find the funds?

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.

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.

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.

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

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?

“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.

Agreed WR should front up.

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

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.