‘More than just a game’: Moana Pasifika rugby provides story of hope for the islands

“Football is the most important of the least important things in life.”

The great Italian football coach Arrigo Sacchi was talking about a different sport, but the sentiment also rings true for rugby for Pacific peoples in New Zealand, Australia and the islands they still call home.

The southern hemisphere’s premier professional rugby union club competition, renamed Super Rugby Pacific for 2022, has featured teams from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Japan since its inception in 1996.

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Countless Pasifika people have played for these clubs or franchises, but the islands have their own teams in Super Rugby this season – the Fijian Drua, who are run by the Fiji Rugby Union and have played all their matches in Australia so far due to Covid-19, and Moana Pasifika, who are partnered with the Samoan and Tongan Rugby Unions and based at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland.

The Drua (pronounced n’drua) bounced back from two tough opening losses last month to claim their first win against the Melbourne Rebels. Since then, they have only been denied further wins by last minute scores from the Queensland Reds and Western Force over the last fortnight.

Moana Pasifika have only played twice so far with Omicron outbreaks in the New Zealand-based team camps forcing game postponements.

After spending over a month bubbled in Queenstown with the other Kiwi sides, Moana had their first game at Mt Smart last Saturday behind closed doors. Finally, on Friday night they will play in front of fans for the first time when the Hurricanes visit.

Hooker Ray Niuia, who was born and raised in Auckland and has deep roots in the Samoan villages of