Moana Pasifika eager to start new chapter in style

As one long rugby season comes to a close on the fifth night of summer, one hoped-to-be long rugby journey is just starting for Moana Pasifika.

At Hamilton’s FMG Stadium Waikato tonight, one end of the spectrum will see the Ma¯ori All Blacks and all their storied history, but, in an almost perfect reflection, facing off with them will be the composite Pacific side, under the banner of the entity which is slated to join the professional scene.

Moana Pasifika are understood to be New Zealand Rugby’s preferred Pacific Islands representative for a revamped 2022 Super Rugby competition. While the players and coaches in action this weekend may or may not be the same as some who eventually join the entity’s ranks, these are nonetheless important first tentative steps for the organisation.

‘‘One hundred per cent,’’ was coach Tana Umaga’s response when asked by Stuff whether this was a chance to set the ball rolling in style.

‘‘We’ve been knocking on this door since Sir Bryan Williams’ days, and Sir Michael Jones’ days. And now it’s finally been opened. So this group understands the importance, and how huge that is for us.’’

Umaga said a good result would be important but there was also an almost bigger responsibility in the way they approached the fixture.

‘‘We want to put on a showcase of Pacific Island rugby, so we’ve got to make sure that we do that well.’’

So, in this one-off exhibition, even with some wet weather forecast, one shouldn’t expect a string of set pieces and kicks even if captain Michael Alaalatoa, a prop of course, wasn’t quite prepared to put scrummaging completely out of the picture.

‘‘Pretty much all of us in this team have grown up playing in New Zealand, so we want to be smart about the way we play, and if there’s aspects of the game where we need to go back to what we know which is what we’ve learned here in New Zealand, then we’ll do that,’’ he told Stuff.

‘‘We’re not here to be happy with losing. We’re here to win. But I think the thing that we want to hang our hat on is putting a performance out that our people will be proud of.

‘‘We’re emptying the tank and giving this game everything that we’ve got. It’s our last game for the year, but also, at the same time, it’s the first game for this team.

‘‘So we want to start this team off on a high and hopefully we can build some momentum into whatever the plans are for this team in the future.’’

While the rugby will bind the side together come kickoff, central to the team’s preparation has been their non-rugby work, where they have spent plenty of time connecting off the paddock, aided by their own cultural advisor, who has told them stories about how Pacific Islanders migrated between islands and eventually made their way to New Zealand.

‘‘It’s important for us to learn a bit about our own cultures, but about the other boys’ cultures as well, and see the similarities and differences. So that’s been powerful,’’ Alaalatoa said.