Our latest rugby transfers and rumours update centres around the demise of Moana Pasifika, the next Fiji head coach and PREM Rugby clubs\u2019 targets.<\/p>\n
Clubs pounce after Moana\u2019s demise as Harlequins target former All Blacks centre<\/p>\n
The news that Moana Pasifika<\/a> will disband at the end of the current Super Rugby Pacific season<\/a> has sparked speculation<\/a> of where some of the team\u2019s top talents will land.<\/p>\n According to a report by the Daily Mail<\/a>, Harlequins<\/a> could be one of the benefactors as they position themselves to snap up the services of former All Blacks midfielder Ngani Laumape, who is bound to be in high demand.<\/p>\n Quins have struggled to fill the void Andre Esterhuizen left when he returned to the Durban Sharks at the end of the 2023\/24 season, and the situation wasn\u2019t made easier when Lennox Anyanwu signed for Montpellier. According to the report, a source suggests that Laumape would be an attractive proposition for the Famous Quarters, who have fallen short in moves for Sione Tuipulotu, Levi Aumua, and Santiago Chocobares.<\/p>\n The report claims that most PREM clubs have completed their recruitment for next season already, but are monitoring a handful of Pasifika players who will now be on the market.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, it\u2019s yet to be seen what the disbandment of the team will mean for All Blacks star Ardie Savea<\/a>, who was set to rejoin the side following his stint in Japan with the Kobe Kobelco Steelers. Savea is contracted with New Zealand Rugby through to the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup and could end up at one of the New Zealand Super Rugby clubs, probably his former team, the Hurricanes.<\/p>\n Snubbed scrum-half set to join Sale<\/p>\n Sale Sharks looked to have finally found a successor for Newcastle Red Bulls-bound Raffi Quirke with the North West-based club snapping up the services of Xavier Roe.<\/p>\n The Chiefs scrum-half represented the All Blacks XV last year but was unable to force his way up the pecking order under former head coach Scott Robertson, who preferred the likes of Cam Roigard, Noah Hotham, Cortez Ratima, and Finlay Christie for the national team\u2019s number nine jersey.<\/p>\n According to SportsMail, Roe has agreed terms with the Sharks and will link up with Alex Sanderson\u2019s charges following the conclusion of the Super Rugby season with Sale also announcing the signings of South African lock JJ Scheepers and Coventry winger David Opoku-Fordjour.<\/p>\n While Roe wasn\u2019t able to force his way into the Test squad last year, he has been the first-choice scrum-half at the Chiefs ahead of Ratima this season, starting five times and has been named on the bench twice.<\/p>\n The signing of Roe comes after Sale also missed out on the services of Springboks scrum-half Faf de Klerk, who will return to South Africa, while they have also been linked with Bulls star Embrose Papier.<\/p>\n Rugby Transfers: Sharks circle Springboks snub, Bulls\u2019 post-Ruan Nortje plans and Stormers\u2019 rebuild<\/a><\/p>\n All Blacks hopeful re-signs<\/p>\n Over in Auckland, the Blues have announced that outside back Zarn Sullivan has re-signed with the club through to the end of the 2028 Super Rugby Pacific season. A product of King\u2019s College and the Blues development pathways, Sullivan has been part of the Blues environment since his teenage years.<\/p>\n The 25-year-old made his Blues debut in the final round of the 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa season and has since become a regular starter for the side.<\/p>\n \u201cThis club means a lot to me. I\u2019ve come through the system here and had incredible support from the coaches, players and staff along the way,\u201d Sullivan said.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like I\u2019ve still got more to achieve and a lot more to give. I\u2019m excited about where this group is heading and grateful to be part of it for the next few years.\u201d<\/p>\n A capped M\u0101ori All Black, Sullivan has yet to earn international honours for the All Blacks but could well come into contention under new head coach Dave Rennie.<\/p>\n Sir Graham Henry: All Blacks have the depth but \u2018weak\u2019 Super Rugby competition is the danger for \u2018isolated\u2019 New Zealand<\/a><\/p>\n Fiji miss out on top head coach target as RC Toulon swoop<\/p>\n Fiji have failed in their pursuit of Franck Az\u00e9ma to be the national team\u2019s next head coach and have now turned their attentions to another Frenchman, according to reports.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, the union announced the departure of Mick Byrne<\/a>, due to health concerns, with Senirusi Seruvakula taking over on an interim basis.<\/p>\n The union has been looking for a long-term successor since and had identified the experienced Az\u00e9ma as their top target. The Frenchman vacated his position at Perpignan after the club\u2019s poor start to the season and was reportedly in talks with the Fijian Rugby Union.<\/p>\n However, L\u2019Equipe<\/a> reports that the slow pace of those discussions frustrated the former Clermont boss who ended the talks and is now on the brink of rejoining RC Toulon, becoming the club\u2019s head coach.<\/p>\n Az\u00e9ma is being brought in to support Pierre Mignoni, who suffered a breakdown (his own words) and took a break from his duties earlier this season. The report adds that Munster lineout coach Alex Codling will also join Toulon and fill Sergio Parisse\u2019s void<\/a>, who is joining Italy\u2019s coaching staff at the end of the season.<\/p>\n