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Moana Pasifika dealt gauntlet of fire in rejigged Super Rugby Pacific draw
New Zealand Rugby have unveiled a rejigged draw for the coming rounds of Super Rugby Pacific which includes a number of midweek fixtures in order to catch up on postponed matches from earlier in the season.
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Three matches involving Moana Pasifika were called off during the opening four weeks of the competition and while the new franchise were able to fit in a replacement game against the Chiefs over the weekend, they are still due to play catch-up fixtures against the Blues and Hurricanes. Meanwhile, all three of last weekend’s originally scheduled matches were postponed.
This weekend’s Round 6 matches are unsurprisingly unaffected but, as already telegraphed, Moana Pasifika will take on the Blues at Mt Smart in a mid-week fixture next Tuesday, on March 29.
The only change to Round 7 will see the Hurricanes square off with the Chiefs in Wellington, with both teams originally scheduled for a bye, while the Crusaders will host the Highlanders and the Blues will play their reverse fixture with Moana Pasifika.
In Round 8, Moana Pasifika and the Highlanders will play their Round 5 match on the Friday night instead of getting the week off. That pushes the fixture between the Hurricanes and Crusaders a day later to Saturday afternoon while the Chiefs will host the Blues in their scheduled fixture later that evening.
The following Tuesday, the Hurricanes will host Moana Pasifika for the Pacific Island side’s final midweek game. In the Friday night Round 9 fixture, the Crusaders will play their postponed game from Round 5 with the Blues, shifting the scheduled game between the Highlanders and Hurricanes to a day later. Capping off the round, the Chiefs will play host to Moana Pasifika on Saturday afternoon.
While the Hurricanes and Blues won’t necessarily fancy each playing three games over the space of 14 days due to the catch-up matches, the challenge is even more significant for Moana Pasifika, who face a daunting schedule that will see them take on the Chiefs, Highlanders, Hurricanes (twice) and Blues (twice) over a three-week period.
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“Confirmation of these matches provides certainty for our players, coaches, fans and venues as we make a welcome shift into something close to normal transmission,” said NZR’s general manager of professional rugby and performance, Chris Lendrum. “We will welcome fans back into our stadiums over the next week and now we can also celebrate confirmation of a full draw.”
Lendrum said player welfare was front of mind in rescheduling the matches postponed due to Covid but acknowledged that Moana Pasifika would face a difficult road ahead.
“We believe we’ve landed in a good place and all six New Zealand-based teams have remained committed to ensuring all matches are played. Although the teams have lost their scheduled bye rounds through rounds 7 to 9, those rest periods have been compensated by the weeks off created by the postponements.
“Our clubs were united in wanting to play all of their matches, compete hard for competition points and ultimately playoff berths. They were also confident they could manage their squads through the balance of the competition to ensure players were in peak form for the finals.
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“Moana Pasifika has, unfortunately, been most impacted with two Tuesday-Saturday match weeks, but to this point have also played the least rugby with just two matches and I know the club can’t wait to get some more regular game time in their inaugural season in Super Rugby Pacific.”
Newly rescheduled Super Rugby Pacific matches:
Round 7
Sunday, 3 April: Hurricanes v Chiefs, Sky Stadium, Wellington, 3.35pm
[Postponed from RD 5]
Round 8
Friday, 8 April: Highlanders v Moana Pasifika, Forsyth Barr Stadium, 7.05pm
[Postponed from RD 5]
Saturday, 9 April: Hurricanes v Crusaders, Sky Stadium, Wellington, 4.35pm
[Moved from Friday 8 April]
Round 9
Tuesday, 12 April: Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika, Sky Stadium, Wellington, 7.05pm
[Postponed from RD 4]
Friday, 15 April: Crusaders v Blues, Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch, 7.05pm
[Postponed from RD 5]
Saturday, 16 April: Chiefs v Moana Pasifika, FMG Stadium, Waikato, 4.35pm
[Moved from Friday 15 April]
Comments on RugbyPass
“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
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