Superstar Savea the man to ignite Moana

ARDIE Savea’s move to Moana Pasifika is the headline transfer and there’s a feeling of optimism for the Pacific Island teams.

-  BEN JAYCOCK

The All Blacks superstar will captain Moana following a sabbatical in Japan that ended his time with the Hurricanes.

While the introduction of Fijian Drua and Moana started with both sides at the bottom of the table in 2022, their growth since that inaugural season has been one of the great joys of the competition.

The Drua have led the charge, with Lautoka and Suva two of the hardest venues to win at in the competition – with their efforts seeing the side make back-to-back playoff appearances.

Moana’s rise has been a lot more troublesome, with a second wooden spoon and a complete cleanout along the road. However, 2024 saw small improvements under new coach Tana Umaga – culminating in the side getting off the bottom for the first time and winning more games than in their first two seasons combined.

With one less team in Australia due to Melbourne Rebels’ liquidation and two fewer play-off places up for grabs, the Pacific sides will look to maintain their rise and become genuine title contenders.