Moana Pasifika unleash new talent ahead of Super Rugby season

Moana Pasifika are bracing themselves for the Super Rugby season, welcoming new faces and talents to the squad.

New Moana Pasifika Coach Fa’alogo Tana Umaga says the team needs time to prove themselves in the upcoming 2024 season.

Last year saw a disappointing performance from the team losing thirteen times in a row. Fa'alogo says Moana Pasifika has to earn the respect of their fans for them to come out and support them.

“You've got to earn the right of our people… earn the right for them to come to, to follow us. And that's obviously by our performances. We need to put in a performance that they're proud of and they want to go and see live.”

He says ultimately, the team winning games is what people view as success and Moana Pasifika has still got a lot of developing to do, as players and as a club.

“It just comes in stages, you know, we've got to grow the players, we've got experience, we've got a good balance of young players.

“Culture is everything for us… it's understanding the balance between culture and structure in terms of what we need to be high performing and high performance.

New lock Tom Savage says he has no Pasifika heritage but Umaga says he brings a wealth of experience.

“It took great courage for him to come to a team that he knew he would be… he’d be the one that's different.”

Savage says he is loving it so far.

“I've played lots of Pacific Pacific Island players. Obviously, not one with a contingent quite as large as this, but the boys have been great. I've been welcomed in with welcome arms.”

Henry Taefu has been a centre for the past three seasons and grew up in Australia.

He chose to come to Aotearoa/New Zealand because he believes in developing Pacific players.

“One of our pillars this year is just being unapologetically Pasifika, and that's just us, not being ashamed of who we are, but just being examples and inspiration for the future generations, representing our people.”

Sekope Kepu, was the captain last season, says it’s humbling to be back.

“For me to come back and be myself and be in an environment where every Island boy can walk in here and be himself and be accepted for who you are and do what you can and then perform on the field is a bonus.”

Moana Pasifika will be playing their first game against the Highlanders on February 24 in Dunedin.