Moana Pasifika Rising: A Pacific Dream Taking Flight
By Melino Maka
Tonga Independent News
Moana Pasifika’s recent performances in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season have turned heads, inspired fans, and reminded the rugby world of the talent and power that lie within our Pacific Islands. Last week, the team made franchise history by winning back-to-back matches — beating the mighty Crusaders and then securing a dominant 45–28 win over the Waratahs at North Harbour Stadium. These victories were more than just sporting triumphs; they were symbolic of a vision that’s now turning into reality.
For me, this is a deeply personal journey. I remember clearly when the idea of expanding Super Rugby to include a Pacific team was first floated. I was fortunate to have early conversations with those involved in forming what would become Moana Pasifika. At the time, the concept was bold — a team that would unify players of Pacific heritage across Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, and the wider Pasifika diaspora in New Zealand and Australia.
I supported the idea because I saw the potential: not just in terms of rugby, but in nation-building, identity, and opportunity. But when I returned to Tonga to talk about it with people on the ground, the response was mixed. Many Tongans were hesitant to support Moana Pasifika, mainly due to the deep-rooted rugby rivalry between Tonga and Samoa. They felt the team leaned too heavily toward Samoa in its management and decision-making — especially since Fiji already had its confirmed franchise, the Fijian Drua.
I understood their concerns. But I also knew that for this team to succeed, it needed to be led by people who were experienced, financially connected, and strategically savvy. The early leadership of Moana Pasifika — largely Samoan — brought with them the corporate backing, governance structures, and international relationships needed to launch a new professional franchise. These are not easy things to secure, and I respected their capability.
What many didn’t realise is that the Moana Pasifika Board of Governance included three New Zealand-born Tongans. That representation was meaningful — not just symbolically, but in ensuring the team truly reflected the Pacific’s diversity and brought different voices into the room. It was an early sign that this team wasn’t only for Samoa, or for one island — it was built for all of us.
In the early days, there was greater support among Pacific communities in Australia, particularly from Tongan players who were more open to joining and getting involved. And now, three years later, that early belief is being rewarded. Moana Pasifika is no longer an experiment. It’s a serious rugby outfit, one that is proving week after week that it can compete with — and beat — the best.
The turning point arguably came on 21 July 2024, when Moana Pasifika stunned the rugby world by signing Ardie Savea — one of the greatest players of the modern era and currently still an active member of the All Blacks. His decision to join the franchise wasn’t just a tactical win for Moana Pasifika — it was a powerful endorsement of the team’s credibility, vision, and potential. Savea’s leadership has brought a level of professionalism, confidence, and focus to the squad that is beginning to show on the scoreboard.
As of today, Moana Pasifika has played six games in the 2025 Super Rugby season — winning three and losing three, with two of those losses coming by extremely narrow margins. This is not a fluke. This is a team with depth, fitness, talent, and belief. It’s a team with pride in the jersey, pride in the Pacific, and pride in each other.
But to truly understand what Moana Pasifika represents, we need to look at its origins. On 24 November 2020, former All Black great Tana Umaga named a 26-man squad for a historic fixture against the Māori All Blacks. That match, played on 5 December 2020 at Waikato Stadium, featured New Zealand-based players with Pacific Island heritage, most of whom had played internationally or in sevens for their ancestral nations. Moana Pasifika lost that first match 28–21, but it marked the beginning of a journey.
In April 2021, Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua were granted conditional licenses to join Super Rugby. By July that same year, those licenses became unconditional, and Moana Pasifika was confirmed to compete in the 2022 and 2023 Super Rugby Pacific seasons.
On 4 March 2022, they made their official debut, facing off against the Crusaders — a 33–12 loss. But history was made that day when Solomone Funaki scored Moana Pasifika’s first ever Super Rugby try. That match also marked the leadership debut of their first-ever competition captain: Sekope Kepu, a New Zealand-born Tongan who represented Australia with distinction for many years. Kepu’s appointment was a powerful symbol of the pan-Pacific identity at the heart of the franchise.
Just three weeks later, the team would notch its first win, beating the Hurricanes 24–19 at Mt Smart Stadium. These moments, while modest at the time, were important steps forward. Building a franchise from the ground up — especially one that represents multiple nations and diasporas — is never easy. But Moana Pasifika stayed the course.
In September 2024, it was announced that Moana Pasifika would shift all home games to North Harbour Stadium, making it their permanent base for the 2025 season. It’s a great venue and closer to many Pacific communities in Auckland, but we cannot hide our disappointment that Tonga missed out on hosting a scheduled match. A fixture against the Chiefs was meant to be held at Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku’alofa in March, but it was relocated to Pukekohe. The dream remains: to see Moana Pasifika play on Tongan soil, and we look forward with hope to 2026 when that could become a reality.
Beyond the wins and losses, Moana Pasifika’s greatest value lies in its purpose. This team was never just about winning games. It was about creating a high-performance pathway for Pacific players — especially from Samoa and Tonga — to develop, gain experience at the elite level, and be ready for international duties. With the Rugby World Cup 2027 on the horizon, the timing could not be better. We are finally seeing a professional rugby environment that centers Pacific identity, language, culture, and values — and channels it all into world-class rugby.
For Tonga, the impact is already visible. More young players are dreaming of playing for Moana Pasifika. More coaches, trainers, and managers are gaining experience in professional environments. And more of our people are seeing that it’s possible — that Pacific excellence doesn’t need to be defined by someone else’s system.
To Sir Michael Jones and Sir Bryan Williams — malo ‘aupito. You believed in this long before most of us did. Your persistence, humility, and service to the game have made this dream real. You have helped create something that is not just for Samoa or Tonga, but for the entire Pacific. And the best part? This is only the beginning.
Moana Pasifika has shown that unity is possible, even across old rivalries. It has reminded us that when we invest in each other, when we believe in our talent and culture, we can take on the world — and win.
Let us celebrate what has been achieved. Let us prepare for what is still to come. And let us welcome Moana Pasifika to Nuku’alofa soon — not just as a team, but as a symbol of everything we can be when we rise together.
