Super Rugby Pacific franchise is set to be disbanded<\/a> after ownership on Wednesday confirmed it would not continue funding the \u201cunviable\u201d operation beyond this season.<\/p>\nIntroduced in 2022 alongside Fijian Drua, Pasifika was designed to represent Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands.<\/p>\n
But plans to base the club in Samoa never eventuated and, apart from a single game in Apia and another in Tonga in five seasons, have instead operated in obscurity in Auckland.<\/p>\n
A World Rugby package initially funded the franchise before Pasifika Medical Association became a majority owner in 2024.<\/p>\n
License holders New Zealand Rugby insist there is hope fresh investors \u2013 the operation reportedly costs upwards of $7m annually \u2013 can resuscitate the team that sits last after an eighth successive loss, in Sydney to NSW Waratahs on Friday night.<\/p>\n
But the likelihood is a 10-team competition without a Pasifika presence for 2027 and Umaga, the first All Black captain of Samoan descent, is concerned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe understand why we\u2019re here and for people that look like us, have our background, that\u2019s important,\u201d the coach, set to take up an assistant role for the All Blacks next year, said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA professional environment created by us; that means a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moana Pasifika coach Tana Umaga watches on as the Super Rugby club\u2019s players train. Photograph: Michael Bradley\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Of particular concern is the future for the Samoan and Tongan Test teams battling to develop into competitive rugby nations.<\/p>\n
Many of their emerging players are currently on the Moana Pasifika roster.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe gap between where we [Samoa and Tonga] are currently, internationally, to where we need to get to, is very big,\u201d Umaga said. \u201cWithout Moana to bridge that gap, it\u2019s going to be tough.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we keep going the way we\u2019re going, the possibility [is that] they might not make the next cycle of the World Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n
Players currently reaping the benefits are devastated by the news and how it will affect others in a similar way.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis team gave me a chance in Super Rugby and I got to debut for my country, my dad\u2019s country of birth and then I got to go to a World Cup,\u201d said utility back William Havili.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is tough because I feel for my Samoan and Tongan brothers that we have in our team.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve come straight from Tonga or Samoa, but they might not get a chance next year now and there\u2019s some really exciting kids that we have training with us that might just get overlooked now.\u201d<\/p>\n
The looming threat is that Pacific players could be lost to rugby league as the rival code continues to strengthen its hold in the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the real risk,\u201d Umaga said. \u201cWhat is the answer if it\u2019s not us, then what? If we\u2019re not there, then what for Samoa and Tonga?\u201d<\/p>\n
As talk naturally turns to the future, players and staff at Moana Pasifika are refusing to give up hope that the team\u2019s license could be snapped up by a new investor dedicated to their cause.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a glimmer of hope for us and that\u2019s what we\u2019ve got to look forward to and we\u2019ve just got to keep pushing forward,\u201d said Umaga.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re still holding onto hope for Moana for next season, it\u2019s not all doom and gloom,\u201d Moana\u2019s Sydney-born, Tongan flyhalf Patrick Pellegrini said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve all said you\u2019ve got to make a decision what\u2019s best for you and your family at the end of the day, whether that\u2019s moving on or holding on.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"All Blacks great and Moana Pasifika coach Tana Umaga fears the region\u2019s talent will gravitate to league and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":537113,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[5903,101,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-537112","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rugby","8":"tag-rugby","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/537112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=537112"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/537112\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/537113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=537112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=537112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=537112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}