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'We're in right behind them': Moana Pasifika voice support for Fijian Drua

By Alex McLeod
(Photos / Getty Images)

Moana Pasifika head coach Aaron Mauger says his side are in full support of the Fijian Drua as they go in search of their second Super Rugby Pacific win this weekend.

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Moana Pasifika and the Drua are the two expansion franchises that joined the new-look edition of Super Rugby this year, with both teams providing the competition with its first representation of the Pacific Islands.

With the Drua unable to play at their home base of Suva in their debut season due to Covid restrictions, the Mick Byrne-based side have set up shop in Australia, where they have been playing the five Australian franchises to open their campaign.

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What it’s like being the only non-Fijian player at the Fijian Drua | Aotearoa Rugby Pod

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What it’s like being the only non-Fijian player at the Fijian Drua | Aotearoa Rugby Pod

They have done so with a degree of success, picking up their first win in the competition against the Melbourne Rebels a fortnight ago before almost salvaging a dramatic comeback win over the Reds in Brisbane last week.

Those results leave the Drua in good stead ahead of their clash with the Western Force in Sydney on Saturday, and are in stark contrast to how Moana Pasifika have fared thus far.

Both of Moana Pasifika’s first two matches of the campaign were postponed due to a Covid outbreak within their squad, while further outbreaks in opposition squads have forced the postponement of their two most recent fixtures as well.

As such, Mauger’s side have played only one match this season, falling to a 33-12 defeat at the hands of the Crusaders in a match where they impressed with their competitiveness after being tipped by many to suffer a heavy loss.

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That result bodes well for their chances against the Chiefs at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland on Saturday, the second of eight straight matches Moana Pasifika will play against New Zealand teams to open their inaugural season.

Moana Pasifika’s run of fixtures against Kiwi sides mirrors that of the Drua’s against Australian opposition, and until they face each other in Sydney on May 14, Mauger said his side are staunch supporters of their fellow Pacific Island newcomers on the opposite side of the Tasman.

“I think with them being in a different conference, it’s hard to really compare in different conditions, and their journey’s been a little bit different to ours, obviously through the first four weeks of the competition, but from a supporter perspective, we’re in right behind them,” Mauger told media on Friday.

“[They’re] obviously part of our beautiful moana, the Pacific, so the boys have been right in behind them and connecting with quite a few of their players.

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“The staffs know each other, the coaching groups have been really impressed and really enjoyed watching them get their first win last week, so wish them all the best for the rest of the comp and look forward to playing them later on in the year.”

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That sentiment was echoed by Moana Pasifika midfielder Levi Aumua, who is of Samoan and Fijian heritage and is excited by the prospect of the two Pacific Island franchises squaring off in just under two months’ time.

“Just from watching them, they definitely play some really fast footy and some razzle in there too, so think it’ll be a good clash of these two teams in Super Rugby Pacific,” he said.

Aumua also expressed his eagerness to play at Mt Smart Stadium for the first time this season after leaving Moana Pasifika’s temporary Queenstown base for the first time in more than a month earlier this week.

With Moana Pasifika set to be based at Mt Smart Stadium – rather than Samoa or Tonga – until at least 2028, the match will be historic in the sense that it will be the franchise’s first real home game.

The occasion will go ahead without fans under New Zealand’s current red light Covid setting, but Aumua remained upbeat about the chance to play Moana Pasifika’s first regular season match at their home ground.

“Obviously just being fresh back to Auckland, already the boys’ energy levels are through the roof, and to play back at our home ground is super special. Just a bit unfortunate that we can’t have our supporters there.”

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J
Jon 4 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 6 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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A
Adrian 8 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

30 Go to comments
T
Trevor 11 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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