What Moana’s most successful season means for fans

Now that this year’s Super Rugby champions have been crowned, this is a chance to reflect on Moana Pasifika’s run this year, and how this should encourage fans to get behind the team!

With four wins from 14, Moana completed their most successful season to date.

And a conversation with Pacific athlete Willie Poching reveals that rugby legend Fa’alogo Tana Umaga has been a key factor in their turnaround as head coach.

“Looking back on it, I think it’s been a positive season and a season of growth,” Poching said.

“They have had two difficult seasons before, in which they were just finding their feet.

“I think Tana has come to put his footprint on it, and I think that footprint has produced some really strong results and performances. With two weeks to go, they were still in contention for the play-offs, something no one would have given them the chance to do.

And for me, the energy felt different this year as I noticed a shift in attitude and commitment throughout the year, giving them the opportunity to make it to the finals for the first time in their short history.

So while there is a mountain to climb to regain the interest and trust of the rugby world after a terrible 2023, with a new coach and new experiences at a high level, this year proved to be Moana’s chance to show “who they really are.”

Super Rugby Season 2024

Eighteen players from Moana featured at last year’s Rugby World Cup, split between Manu Samoa and ‘Ikale Tahi. And I expected that the experience of playing internationally would also help at club level, which, from talking to some of these representatives, was a theory they also supported.

“We’re just going to try to take that confidence and work ethic from what we did in Samoa, bring it here and see if we can create something special with this Moana team,” said Manu Samoa and Moana hooker Sama Malolo during a pre-season media session.

That ‘special’ came about when Moana defeated the Fijian Drua for the first time, in the second round. A few rounds later they then defeated the Melbourne Rebels, and with that result they had already improved on their record from the previous year.

However, in the next three rounds, Moana suffered three consecutive defeats, with a total of 175 points against them. The efforts in the second half seemed to paralyze the team, and you could see the team’s effort diminish as the match progressed.

But a huge win against the Reds in Northland reignited the spark in the side. The following week they played another big match in Fiji, against a Drua side who looked unstoppable at home. But despite a huge effort from Moana, they went down 24-17 to the Fijians.

The rest of the season was an up-and-down time for Moana, showing good signs early in matches and often taking a lead at the break. But fatigue and frustration in the second half crippled Moana’s play, which would become a major issue that Fa’alogo described as a work-on.

The remaining three matches were must-wins for Moana to secure a place in the finals, and intrigue increased as this huge opportunity loomed. But Moana would only win one of these final three, bowing out to the Crusaders in the final round.

Moana Pasifika during their match at Teufaiva Stadium in Tonga.

Empty home base

The question of identity was another topic discussed.

Moana played five different locations as home games in 2024, including; Eden Park, Go Media Stadium, FMG Stadium, Northland Stadium and Teufaiva Stadium.

And without a permanent home base and routine for players and fans on match day, these matches failed to attract crowds. Moana also trained at North Harbor Stadium in Auckland, but not once did they play at the venue.

I asked Poching about this issue, and why it is important for Moana to resolve some off-field issues, including financial issues.

“I think they’re on an uneven playing field compared to other franchises in New Zealand. They have no home base and that is difficult. They don’t have a permanent training base, so it’s difficult to attract more quality players.

“It’s hard to have any stability within yourself, (when) you don’t have a say in where you play. The Blues have Eden Park and that is their fortress, but what does Moana have?

“They should try to establish themselves and have a team that can represent Pasifika. But in a professional environment you need professional support and professional facilities to work on every day.”

Given Poching’s long career as a player and coach in rugby league, we discussed the value of having a home for elite athletes.

He says that going through the same stadium entrance on match day, going through the same doors to your lockers and preparing for the match in the same way becomes an integral part of a player’s identity and leads to better performance.

But instead, Moana played every match like an away game – and often in completely empty stands. While they attracted large numbers of players in every match they played in the Pacific, and also improved their performance.

In Auckland, the city is already overpopulated with professional sports teams, with the Warriors and Blues also calling the region home, while North Harbor Stadium is too far away for many of our Pacific communities to reach.

So it seems clear to me that the solution to this problem will lie in finding a way to play more games in Apia or Nuku’alofa. That is where their identity lies, with our people, the people of the Moana.

An opportunity for Pacific players to learn

Moana made headlines at the end of last season with the announcement that Hurricanes veteran Julian Savea signed a one-year deal with the club. He has since extended another year with the team.

Savea became the first ex-All Black to sign for the team and added another high-level international player, joining Wallabies veterans Sekope Kepu and Christian Lealiifano.

Nearly ten players from Moana made their Super Rugby Pacific debuts this year, with many coming from club and NPC football level. So I think signing up these veterans has not only raised the profile of the team, but also given a sense of encouragement to younger Pacific players.

And having veterans like Savea, Kepu and Lealiifano by your side during training or matches, with Fa’alogo Tana Umaga at the helm, provided a wealth of experience for the inexperienced players to learn from.

Poching also spoke about the impact these senior players would have on the younger team members.

“I think the franchise is there to help more of our Pacific players get to that level, expose them to the riggers and the quality of that brand of football. When you play against quality players, you become a better player yourself.

“They are starting to attract some bigger names, Julian Savea was a big addition this year in terms of attendance. But also look at the confidence the other players around them gained by having him there.

“They already had Sekope Kepu and Christian Lealiifano, but adding someone a little younger who will be there next year, who has been there and done that, a World Cup winner, would have grown the group.

“Being next to him in the locker room would have been such a big boost! And when I talk to the people involved with the Moana franchise, that’s been a big thing for them – for the younger guys to learn how to being a professional, day in and day out.”

That’s what our people stand for: helping the next person, watching and observing, and applying the knowledge to our own lives. So I think this has been a huge encouragement for the club to nurture its talent with opportunities so that our younger players can grow.

Fans in Nuku’alofa watch a Moana Pasifika scrum.

General reflections

When Moana Pasifika went on a losing streak of more than ten matches last year, many wondered what even the club’s purpose was. But despite the doubters, their supporters, our people continued to show up and the players remained committed to achieving positive results.

While four wins this year may not be the best result for some rugby analysts, it is a step in the right direction for a team like Moana as it is still in the adolescent stages of its development.

Despite the continued pressure off the field, Moana’s playing group and coaching staff have done well in dealing with the pressure – and achieved some encouraging results.

And given these improvements, I’ve been reflecting on a conversation I had with Moana’s inaugural captain Sekope Kepu ahead of his final rugby match. He spoke about the importance of the sport to our people in the Pacific, and his gratitude to end his career with a team that gives back to the Pacific.

“It’s humbling, it’s probably been the most satisfying of the last three years I’ve been here. To be able to help our people, to learn about our culture and how beautiful it is, and how we can lead and inspire.

“You never realize how much rugby and sport can do and inspire our people from the islands and around the world.”

Speaking about their play in Tonga revealed a greater purpose and responsibility that Moana Pasifika has for our people.

“To go back to Tonga and play there for the first time was very humbling. Growing up hearing Teufaiva, I’m very grateful that I got to play there with Moana.

“You see the children, all in uniform, soaked from head to toe. Those are magical moments, it’s part of the reason you play the game. And for us, Moana, it gives them hope that playing professionally isn’t too far a dream from coming true.”