On a 10 match losing streak, Moana’s rough run doesn’t get any easier as they get set to host top of the table Hurricanes on Saturday night.
Photo: DJ Mills / Photosport
Moana Pasifika are stuck in limbo.
The club’s long-term position remains unclear amid ongoing discussions over investment and ownership, after last month’s shock announcement the franchise would disband at the end of the season unless a new ownership group could be found.
The process has played out publicly over the past few weeks, with Kanaloa Rugby – a consortium of former players and administrators – pursuing a proposed takeover of the franchise. The group has claimed politics are plaguing attempts to save the club from demise, taking aim the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) – the current owners of Moana. The PMA contends it is NZ Rugby, as the licence holder, that is managing the process.
The competing claims, rumours and uncertainty are all taking a toll on the players and staff.
Halfback Augustine Pulu stressed that if no deal can be made, livelihoods will be be lost.
“That’s what really breaks my heart, seeing the young guys breaking down into tears because these are the opportunities that we’re not going to get anywhere else. We’ve got to provide for our families. God willing, that there’s another opportunity to carry on.”
Coach Fa’alogo Tana Umaga said he was doing what he could to keep Moana’s morale.
“I’ve learned a long time ago not to believe everything you read, everyone’s got their slant of what should happen and how they think. That’s just noise on the outside that really we can’t control, it’s a waste of time worrying about it.”
Umaga expressed frustration 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. 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.”
He said the hope can hurt.
“These things hang over us quite heavy. We can’t think that it’s not affecting our people. There’s a little bit of light, a glimmer of hope, but we have to be realistic. The tough thing is that uncertainty and waiting for something that, we don’t know is going to happen.”
Pulu said the cultural connections within the team allowed players to keep coming to work with a smile.
“They’re still fighting for it. If this was any other franchise, I don’t know if they could come out and carry on performing the way the boys have been going, this is something that we’re used to as our people. We’re resilient in what we do and we’re going to carry on giving back as much as we can.”
Speaking after NZ Rugby’s annual general meeting in Wellington on Thursday, NZ Rugby chairperson David Kirk said it would be “sad” to see Moana unable to continue, but acknowledged the financial reality facing the franchise.
“We need a powerful one step below All Black level competition, Moana Pasifika have made a really meaningful contribution to that but you cant fight reality, if they are financially unable to continue, we have to work with them to have a managed off ramp, and it is what it is.”
He added that NZ Rugby had already been in discussions with a range of interested groups looking to save the franchise, but no concrete proposal had yet emerged.
“We have had interactions with a range of groups and we are very encouraging of them pulling together something that will work for the competition, that is the role we find ourselves in. we are just maintaining the support for all the Super Rugby teams including Moana Pasifika, we have supported them, and that will be there for someone else if they think they can put together a team, but its not our job to do that.”
On a 10 match losing streak, Moana’s rough run doesn’t get any easier as they get set to host top of the table Hurricanes in Albany on Saturday night.
“We don’t want to go out on our backs,” Umaga said.
“We want to make sure we’re walking proud in everything we do. There’s a glimmer of hope and I think that’s what we’ve got to hang onto. It’s another chance for these players to show the best of themselves, if anyone’s watching, you know, for the future.”
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