Moana Pasifika name team for Super Rugby Pacific debut against Crusaders
Moana Pasifika has named its side for its Super Rugby Pacific debut against the Crusaders at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Friday.
After two postponed fixtures against the Blues and Chiefs due to a Covid outbreak within their squad, the new expansion franchise will finally begin its Super Rugby Pacific journey this weekend.
It will do so with 11 players who will be making their Super Rugby debuts, seven of whom have been named to start by head coach Aaron Mauger.
Four of the rookies have been included in the forward pack, where lock partners Mike McKee and Manu Samoa international Sam Slade form an uncapped second row pairing.
The back row also has a fresh feel to it as ‘Ikale Tahi blindside flanker Solomone Funaki will join Manu Samoa openside Alamanda Motuga in making his first appearance at Super Rugby level.
That inexperience is balanced out by the inclusion of captain and Wallabies centurion Sekope Kepu, who has been named to start in a front row that also features former Blues and Chiefs loosehead prop Ezekiel Lindenmuth and ex-Blues hooker Luteru Tolai.
Manu Samoa and former Western Force No 8 Henry Time-Stowers rounds out the forward pack, while three debutants have named in Moana Pasifika’s starting backline.
One of those is promising first-five Lincoln McClutchie, who has long been touted as a player with high potential but will only now make his first foray into Super Rugby after having impressed in the NPC for Hawke’s Bay.
The 22-year-old will pair up with provincial teammate and former Crusaders halfback Ereatara Enari, while the midfield is filled by ex-Hurricanes youngster Danny Toala and former Blues and Chiefs powerhouse Levi Aumua.
The only other debutants in the starting lineup is fullback William Havili, the younger brother of All Blacks utility David, and Manu Samoa wing Neria Foma’i, both of whom join ex-Crusaders and Highlanders wing Tima Fainga’anuku in the outside backs.
Friday’s match will be a family affair for Fainga’anuku, who will face younger brother Leicester, the Crusaders starlet who has been named to play at centre by the Christchurch-based outfit.
A further four Super Rugby debutants are included in the reserves in the form of ‘Ikale Tahi duo Sam Moli – younger brother of All Blacks prop Atu – and Fine Inisi, Hong Kong prop Tau Koloamatangi and lock Alex McRobbie.
They are joined on the bench by former Wallabies pivot Christian Leali’ifano, veteran Manu Samoa and ex-Hurricanes flanker Jack Lam, former Chiefs prop Joe Apikotoa, and Manu Samoa and ex-Chiefs and Hurricanes halfback Jonathan Taumateine.
Loosehead prop Isi Tu’ungafasi, outside back Lolagi Visinia, locks Don Lolo and Penitoa Finau, loose forward Lotu Inisi, and utility back Solomone Kata were all deemed unavailable for selection due to injury.
“This has been 26 years in the making and after recent challenges, it’s good to finally be here,” Mauger said in a statement released on Wednesday.
“For many it will be their debut and significantly they are getting the opportunity to take to the field and compete, when perhaps an opportunity wouldn’t be available. It will be a very special occasion for them, their families and wider Pacific community.”
Kick-off for Friday’s match is scheduled for 7:05pm.
Moana Pasifika team to play the Crusaders
1. Ezekiel Lindenmuth
2. Luteru Tolai
3. Sekope Kepu (c)
4. Mike McKee
5. Sam Slade
6. Solomone Funaki
7. Alamanda Motuga
8. Henry Time-Stowers
9. Ereatara Enari
10. Lincoln McClutchie
11. Neria Foma’i
12. Danny Toala
13. Levi Aumua
14. Tima Fainga’anuku
15. William Havili
Reserves
16. Sam Moli
17. Tau Koloamatangi
18. Joe Apikotoa
19. Alex McRobbie
20. Jack Lam
21. Jonathan Taumateine
22. Christian Leali’ifano
23. Fine Inisi
Comments on RugbyPass
In the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
5 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
6 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
5 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
6 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
6 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to comments