Pasifika SR team

[Bones]

@stargazer love your work bro

[Nogusta]

@stargazer shes as dodgy as dodgy gets

[shark]

@machpants said in Pasifika SR team:

@junior said in Pasifika SR team:

@kirwan said in Pasifika SR team:

@mariner4life said in Pasifika SR team:

@rapido firstly Totai, how was your experience playing for Tonga? Love it did you? Honoured to represent them were you?

Secondly, i honestly could not have given a single fuck if Fekitoa, Frizzel and Fifita played for Tonga over NZ. Not one single solitary fuck.

Lomu?

You mean the NZ born and raised, Jonah Lomu?

Ah but, according to a lot of media and PI supporters out there, NZ born and bred comes after PI heritage in which team they should play for

Yep. Many of the same people who choose to live in NZ rather than Samoa or Tonga. It's gross hypocrisy.

[shark]

@derpus said in Pasifika SR team:

@nzzp I don't think it's really necessary for the NZ teams to remain as strong as they are. Actually, it's probably better if they are diluted somewhat. As it stands they'll be on an even footing with about 2 of the Aus teams. They'll smoke everyone else, including Drua and whatever cobbled together MP team turns out.

That's only looking at SRTT as an end in itself (which, hopefully, it is). Hard to say what the flow on effects will be to the All Blacks and NZ rugby generally.

Blerk. They've been more and more diluted every year since around 1998 when the drain to the NH started. The NZ franchise's ability as it stands to consistently put out true SR quality sides relative to years gone by is precarious. Look at some of the things going on in latter years such as the drafting in of the Dan Carters and Liam Messams, all the blindside flankers playing lock, the huge amount of guys straight out of the U20s coming in, especially in tender positions like prop and hooker. Jesus, look who the Canes' inside back combinations have been this year. We're paper-thin.

[Tim]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/125401377/super-rugby-moana-pasifika-in-talks-with-exabs-but-recruitment-challenges-emerge

[Machpants]

@tim lol what a surprise, Moon dogs mark 2 coming up

[mariner4life]

but the chances of Steven Luatua returning in 2022 appear to be slim

[Duluth]

But Senio said current Super Rugby players on the fringes of their squads were being targeted for next year

When the bid was happening they claimed they wouldn’t hurt the depth of existing sides. Of course that was bullshit.

[Machpants]

@mariner4life said in Pasifika SR team:

but the chances of Steven Luatua any player of any quality returning in 2022 appear to be slim

Yeah stupid idea right from the start

[Tim]

Gregor Paul: Why McKenzie's million-dollar gamble is worth the risk

New Zealand's Super Rugby clubs are already screaming out they can't find enough players and that's before Moana Pasifika, likely to be granted an unconditional license in the next week or so, come into the equation.

[raznomore]

Mods all good to start a new pasifika thread? Broader talking about nations not super rugby.

[Bones]

@raznomore yes

[raznomore]

@bones cheers

[Kiwiwomble]

Report: Ex-Highlanders head coach set for Moana Pasifika job

Former Highlanders boss Aaron Mauger is reportedly set to be confirmed as the inaugural Moana Pasifika head coach.

Even as a Highlanders fan i dont hate the guy, think there were glimpses of promise, not sure hes the one to set the foundation of a new side though, maybe he's learnt some stuff

[Stargazer]

[kiwi_expat]

Wasn't there a rumour Tana was going to join Moana Pacifica next year?

Anyway, Filo Tiatia has been confirmed as their forwards coach:

Jul 11, 2021  /  Pacific

Moana Pasifika to be confirmed in Super Rugby

Moana Pasifika's place in an expanded Super Rugby competition is set to be confirmed today, with two former All Blacks to lead the coaching set-up.

[Stargazer]

...the anxiety from existing Super Rugby franchises around what the new entrants are going to mean for them.

”Nothing good comes easy if you want to achieve it. Putting together our first squad is certainly not going to be easy … but you just need to walk around Auckland’s schools and rugby clubs to realise the talent that comes through the islands.

“There’s heaps of talent just waiting for their opportunity, and you put them in a high-performance environment where they’re being given the right information and training and get them competing against the best players in the world, they’ll get better and better and some of those kids will become the next wave of stars.”

I hope they walk around Tonga's and Samoa's schools and clubs, too.

Sakalia says the announcement of a coach should come soon (Aaron Mauger was their first choice, though his signing has proved problematic), and players, sponsors, apparel providers and the like should follow soon after. They will play at Mount Smart Stadium, but are still nailing down a training venue and headquarters.

Then will come arguably their most important step: engagement with the Pacific Islands community in Auckland and beyond.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/300360149/challenges-just-beginning-as-moana-pasifika-confront-their-super-rugby-reality

[Duluth]

Enari probably with Pasifika next year:

Is there a list of signings anywhere? Any rumours of other players joining them?

[Duluth]

So no one has heard any rumours?

Surely they’ve signed a decent number of players by now? If not, this will be a disaster

[Bovidae]

Maybe some of the Samoan and Tongan players that have come back to NZ to play in the NPC? The likes of Viliami Taulani would have been the type of player MP needed but obviously the money was too good in the UK.