Speaking to the Herald, he said he believed sport can have an equally powerful impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always been an advocate that if music can change lives, then sport can too,\u201d King Kapisi said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany of us grow up feeling disconnected, wondering, \u2018Where am I from?\u2019 But through rugby league \u2013 and the culture that comes with it \u2013 you discover your roots.<\/p>\n
\u201cRepresenting your island, your home, your village helps you find yourself and fills that missing piece in your life. That\u2019s the beauty of what Mana Pasifika brings.\u201d<\/p>\n
The NRL currently has 17 teams, with the Perth Bears set to enter the competition in 2027 and the Papua New Guinea Chiefs joining the following year, taking the league to 19 teams.<\/p>\n
The NRL has signalled its long-term intention to expand to a 20-team competition, with a New Zealand-based licence widely speculated to fill that final spot as early as 2030.<\/p>\n
Mana Pasifika are proposing to field an Auckland-based team, in a city that is home to the largest Pasifika population in the world, estimated at about 275,000 people.<\/p>\n
King Kapisi (left) with Lower Hutt Mayor Ken Laban (centre) and Muliaga Geoff Brown.<\/p>\n
King Kapisi and bid leader Muliaga Geoff Brown have also been engaging with stakeholders nationwide, recently meeting local leaders in Wellington, including Wellington Mayor Andrew Little and Lower Hutt Mayor Ken Laban, as part of a broader push for national backing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m stoked to be part of the bid and we\u2019re aiming to do great things,\u201d King Kapisi said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe main thing is that we represent our people, our cultures, our identities and our heritage \u2013 not just here in Aotearoa, but across the Pacific and around the world. And just as importantly, we want to make sure we serve the communities that need it most.\u201d<\/p>\n
Part of the growth has come down to the stature of international rugby league, which has seen players defect from Australia and New Zealand to play for the likes of Mate Ma\u2019a Tonga and Toa Samoa.<\/p>\n
During the recent Pacific Championships, over 130,000 fans packed the stadiums, highlighting the significance of their influence on the sport on and off the field.<\/p>\n
King Kapisi said it was an honour to be part of trying to launch a NRL team that focuses on the Pacific.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was probably one of the first Samoan artists in the world to put a Samoan flag on my music video to represent my culture,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve been doing this for the last 30 years-plus. It\u2019s an honour to still be representing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve still got music to come. My career on that side hasn\u2019t finished, but I\u2019m starting a new career in the sports stuff, but being serving the community for the last 30 years-plus with my music work as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mana Pasifika promise to bring a world-class coaching line-up and promises they will be ready if given the green light.<\/p>\n