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Super Rugby Pacific

Moana Pasifika sign former Hurricanes first five-eighth

By Ben Smith
(Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Moana Pasifika have signed Wellington Lions and former Hurricanes first five-eighth Jackson Garden-Bachop for the 2025 season.

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The 29-year-old, son of former All Black and Samoa international Stephen Bachop and former Black Fern Sue Garden-Bachop, has Maori, Samoan, French Polynesian and Cook Island ancestry.

After stints with the Rebels and Hurricanes in Super Rugby, Bachop joined CA Brive in France D2 for the 2023/24 season.

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He returned to the Lions for this provincial season, having previously captured an NPC title in 2022 with his hometown province.

“I’m really excited to be a part of such an exciting movement that’s been growing for the last few years both on and off the field,” said Garden-Bachop.

“It’ll be very special to connect with my Pacific heritage. I’ve always been proud to be a Pacific Islander but it’s never been a part of my heritage that I’ve ever been immersed in. So I’m looking forward to learning more about myself and my people.”

Head Coach of Moana Pasifika, Fa’alogo Tana Umaga said: “Jackson is a talented player who brings valuable experience, leadership and playmaking skills, boosting Moana Pasifika’s backline.”

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“We’re grateful to secure his services for next season and look forward to welcoming him to the team.”

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Comments on RugbyPass

N
Ninjin 12 minutes ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

DM did not play the best at FH in the comp. Yes he is a good player and yes he should be in the AB team but he is not the answer at FH.

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Ninjin 22 minutes ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

2011 to 2015 was dull and predictable. The paying fans have every right to have their say regardless of anything because rugby is entertainment and like any other sport the point is to win and not to look good while losing. DM is a good rugby player. The question is where would suit him best on the field. He was great with some space countering from the back and popping up as a second playmaker.

63 Go to comments
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Hellhound 35 minutes ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

He looks tired. He looks very average and he is not an average player. He needs a nice long break. At least 6 weeks, and then the difference will be huge

63 Go to comments
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Nickers 37 minutes ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

The criticism I have of DMac is that when the game gets crazy, he get's crazier, and he always responds to pressure with risk.


When we are really under the pump, and desperate to take a breath and regroup, that is when he is most likely to throw a crazy pass or try a chip and chase.


He is a generational talent, but he has these moments where he decides a try need to be scored in the next phase, regardless of field position or game situation.


He is yet to provide himself capable of playing a tight controlled game when he needs to.

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Hellhound 45 minutes ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

What people don't realise is that DMac is an outlier, like Manie Libbok and SFM of SA. They don't know what they will do themselves so they are unpredictable. They play on feel and is quick to pick up patterns. They are quick to exploit mistakes or create brilliant moves that leads to points. The problem comes in with the play itself as usually it's not planned and trained moves. They see something and the other players don't. Very few think quick enough on their feet to pick up on what their 10 see and exploit. It usually ends in risky passes and plays that can go badly wrong if not executed and that's when they get bashed by the media and fans. When it pays off, it pays big time and then they are getting raved about. No one looks at all the work a player puts into the game. How many mistakes vs other things that went right? Even if a player have a bad game off the boot, they could have tackled well, created opportunities and assists, a few excellent territory kicks that leads to points etc etc. People want to focus on what the player did wrong instead of what he did right.

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Hellhound 59 minutes ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

Behind the Bok scrum he would be good. So would most flyhalfes be. The best flyhalfs would look very average behind average packs

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Hellhound 1 hour ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

I read and agreed with some points this article and was just surprised to find at least one Ben Smith article that is worth it, but then he couldn't help himself. More BS at the end and that is no surprise.

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MB 1 hour ago
'It looked like this team hadn’t been coached for 6 weeks'

I am really pulling for Newcastle to turn it around this season. I like what Steve Diamond has to say, I just hope it works!

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M
MB 1 hour ago
'It’s an embarrassment, it’s a disaster... something fundamentally wrong'

I hope we’ll get some more in depth information soon about what is going on there.

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Hellhound 1 hour ago
South Africa should be everyone's second favourite team

That and an expert attack coach. Tony Brown is changing the attacking dynamic of the Boks par excellence. It's still far from perfect and many hickups, especially in transition from attack to defence. That's where gaps tend to open and they let in a few tries. Rush defence does have its limits. From defence to attack, especially in broken play, the Boks got that down pat. The work they put in now, will stand them in good stead in the 2027 WC. The Boks will lose some matches along the way, not only due to new tactics, but also in giving experience to youngsters and making hybrid players.

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Werner 1 hour ago
Five key questions the Springboks urgently need to answer

Suppose, maybe just haven't forgiven hendriske for his red card during the lions tour.


I really like Grant Williams way of thinking and probing the defence. I think if he works on his passing then he'll be fully rounded and a shoe in. Hope to see more of him. With his ability to cover wing as well I think it plays nicely with the 7-1 and 6-2 splits too

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SJ 1 hour ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

More delusional BS from Ben Smith. I give him credit for getting the comments going though. Kind of all he's good for, and I think he and RugbyPass know that. He's got to put food on the table He knows his rugby knowledge and analysis just isn't going to cut it.

63 Go to comments
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Werner 1 hour ago
Five key questions the Springboks urgently need to answer

I've been waiting for Henco to make his springbok debut for what feels like an eternity (since his first URC appearance).

I really hope he manages to transition to international level well.

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Hellhound 1 hour ago
Nigel Owens' verdict on the 20-minute red card trial

That is my point. Why a different penalty every game? Too many rules and the refs don't know it. For the same offence, every ref blows it different, different reasoning. One rule have many sub rules and those rules have sub rules. The rules are unclear to the players, the fans, the coaches, the refs and even the different unions. It is messing the game up. Instead of making rules more complicated, it should be simplified. This offence gets that and that offence this etc etc. A clear path for the officials and everyone to follow

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SF 1 hour ago
Sean Everitt on the Edinburgh loss dubbed 'humiliating' by ex-player

I wouldn't be too hard on Edinburgh. The Lions' counter attack was breathtaking yesterday. They would have taken any team in the URC apart with their play in the first 40.

Lions need to beef up in the forwards though. In the 2nd 40 Edinburgh's forwards dominated absolutely.

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C
Cosmo 1 hour ago
David Campese criticises Joe Schmidt and labels All Blacks ‘very ordinary’

Very ordinary with glimpses of brilliance & plenty of potential. So go jump in a lake campo (no capital C for this clown) well actually there is one word.. 😁

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Cosmo 2 hours ago
Watch: Cam Roigard runs rampant with two tries in NPC return

Good plan

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W
Werner 2 hours ago
Nigel Owens' verdict on the 20-minute red card trial

Think his point is that a red card should be a punishment. So if it's not changing behaviour then it's not a very good disincentive which is counter to what WR are trying to do with head contact.


Maybe the right answer is a new card for accidental head contacts which have the 20mins sin bin? And reserve the red card for deliberate thuggery ie eye gouging, raking and stomping etc

13 Go to comments
W
Werner 2 hours ago
Near full strength Leinster maintain 100 per cent start to season

I really like how Frawley is coming along. Feel like he's playing with a lot more confidence since SA.

4 Go to comments
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Werner 2 hours ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

Hence the carefully placed "crucial" in my comment.

The missed tackles stat doesn't account for being caught out of position or if attackers go through untouched. Not sure for what reason but the ABs deploy him at full back when defending, similar to the wallabies during the Quade Cooper era where he played 10 in attack and would switch in defence. This means Dmac ends up too often being the last line of defence and often gets stepped, run around or caught out of position (tries by Careras and Mcreight) then you have his misreads on goal line defence (tries by Crevy and Williams).

Barrett and Sacha may have missed more tackles but in areas where it didn't matter.

63 Go to comments
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