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Moana Pasifika's Tonga game moved to Rotorua
By Ned Lester
Moana Pasifika has found a new venue for the club’s round 9 matchup with the Chiefs, which was originally scheduled for Tonga.
Teufaiva Sport Stadium, Nuku’alofa, hosted a 2024 matchup between the Pasifika outfit and the Highlanders, but a return in 2025 was cancelled due to inadequate floodlights, and 2026’s Tonga contest has been canned due to high costs and lack of sponsorship.
Confirmation that the match would require a new venue came on February 23, and two weeks later, that venue has been confirmed as Rotorua International Stadium.
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The venue welcomed 17,000 fans for a recent rugby league game, and is one and a half hours southeast of the Chiefs’ hometown of Hamilton, and three and a half hours south of Moana Pasifika’s usual home ground, North Harbour Stadium.
The news was well-received by the Chiefs, who saw the fixture as a great opportunity to bring Super Rugby to the club’s wider region.
“We love our fans, and having the chance to play in Rotorua is a real bonus for us,” Chiefs CEO Simon Graafhuis said. “We know we have strong support in the city, and we are confident those fans will turn out in force for this match.”
Graafhuis’s Moana Pasifika counterpart, Debbie Sorensen, was disappointed to lose the original venue, but said the Pasifika community reaches far and wide, and would no doubt show up for the occasion.
“While we are sad we can’t take this game to Tonga, we do know that our fans and our community are everywhere – including in the Bay of Plenty region. I know Rotorua will also welcome the visit by the Chiefs, so it’s a win-win for both teams.”
Andrew Wilson, Chief Executive of RotoruaNZ, said the region was thrilled to host Super Rugby.
“For Chiefs and Moana Pasifika fans travelling from Auckland, Waikato and across the Bay of Plenty, this is more than just 80 minutes of rugby — it’s an opportunity to make a weekend of it in one of New Zealand’s most unique destinations.”
Rotorua product and three-cap All Black Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi said the town is sure to show out for the game.
“Rotorua is a rugby town, and I know the locals will be keen to see the boys up close,” Tahuriorangi said.
“It’s superb news that the Chiefs will be playing there.”
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