Moana Pasifika halfback Augustine Pulu told the reporters in North Harbour last week that if no deal can be made, livelihoods will be be lost.
Photo: Paul Taylor/ActionPress
Kanaloa Consortium, who are bidding to buy Moana Pasifika’s licence in the Super Rugby Pacific competition, are hoping their case can be given its fair hearing, as uncertainty continues to hover over the club’s future.
Kanaloa’s CEO Tracy Atiga confirmed on Monday there is an opening to get some discussions on the issue with current Moana Pasifika owners Pasifika Medical Association (PMA), which has not shown any interest in supporting Kanaloa’s proposal.
“We have had contact from the Pacific Rugby Players (PRP) association, who have been supportive and I hope that we can start discussion with the stakeholders involved,” she told RNZ Pacific.
“We are happy to hear that PRP have had a look at our proposal and are happy with it.”
Atiga said the PRP has “initiated discussions to get everybody in a room and talk about it”.
She said they are working around a tight dealine, with 15 May being the date given to them by New Zealand Rugby (NZR) to send in their proposal to the NZR Board.
Last week, she told RNZ Pacific that PMA chief executive Debbie Sorensen and New Zealand Rugby Players Association’s Rob Nichol were blocking support for the buy-out proposal.
Since then, Sorensen and Nichol have both stated that Kanaloa should send their proposal to NZR.
But Atiga insists they need to get both the organisations’ support as per letter sent to them by NZR, adding they need to look at the books, the financial records of Moana Pasifika, as per any legal business dealings.
Atiga claimed PMA is reluctant to show Kanaloa their books.
Photo: Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
In an interview with ABC’s Pacific Beat, Atiga claimed PMA is reluctant to show Kanaloa their books.
“No one’s going to come along and buy a franchise if they don’t have an opportunity to go through the books,” she said.
“I think that’s really what it is. We cannot think of any other reason why they have refused to talk to us.
“We need access to their due diligence process so that we can have a look at these books, have a look at how they have operated for the last five years, so that we can actually say, ‘oh, yeah, okay, your model hasn’t worked this way’.
“We feel we can introduce these different things so we can take this forward, because New Zealand Rugby really want someone to come in and buy the franchise as is now on ‘as is level’, the franchise is not sustainable.
“So we need to be able to see exactly what’s been going wrong before anyone even talks about signing over an agreement.”
Direct talks with NZR
Atiga said if PMA and NZRPA still do not want to engage, then Kanaloa will just work directly with NZR and let them decide whether the licence will be given to them or not.
“If the licence is gone, it goes back to New Zealand Rugby, so, let’s just have a direct conversation with New Zealand Rugby,” she said.
“They have given us to the 15th of this month to get as far down the track with PMA and NZRPA as possible, to get their support and to get their agreement to sign the licence over.
She said that is the path Kanaloa is taking right now.
“And as soon as we have that we will put something in. We will present all the evidence where we have shown – that we have tried very hard to engage with these two parties, and then we will leave it in the hands of New Zealand Rugby to make a decision.
“Now, if New Zealand Rugby make a decision and it does not go our way, we would be demanding a written outline as to why, because we know we have already met the criteria in all other areas.”
‘God willing’
Moana Pasifika halfback Augustine Pulu told the reporters in North Harbour last week that if no deal can be made, livelihoods will be be lost.
“That is what really breaks my heart, seeing the young guys breaking down into tears because these are the opportunities that we are not going to get anywhere else,” Pulu said.
“We have got to provide for our families. God willing, that there is another opportunity to carry on.”
Head coach Fa’alogo Tana Umaga said he is frustrated at a lack of transparency coming from the top of the organisation.
“We don’t know the facts, until we get the real facts and see what happens, we’re just trying to worry about what we can control,” he said.
“There must be a reason why those things aren’t going through. Everyone is waiting to hear from someone, we’re at the bottom of it, there’s probably reasons for that.”
If no new funder is found Moana Pasifika will be probably playing their last home game at the North Harbour Stadium on 23 May and their last Super Rugby game on 30 May against the Brumbies in Canberra.
