Colin Ambler/cvnznews.com
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Minister Winston Peters has criticised New Zealand Rugby’s decision to cut Moana Pasifika from the 2027 Super Rugby competition, calling the move “deeply disappointing” for Pacific rugby and the communities that built the team from the ground up.
NZ Rugby confirmed today that Moana Pasifika will not take the field next season, ending a short but symbolically significant chapter in the professional game. The decision lands heavily across the Pacific, where the team was seen not just as a franchise but as a long‑overdue recognition of the region’s contribution to New Zealand rugby.
Peters said the announcement “will be felt strongly by players, their families and supporters,” and that many in the Pacific who rallied behind the team would see the decision as a setback.
A Team Born Out of History — and Struggle
Moana Pasifika entered Super Rugby in 2022 after years of lobbying by Pacific rugby leaders who argued that the professional era had long benefited from Pacific talent without providing genuine pathways for Pacific nations themselves.
For decades, Pacific players filled New Zealand and Australian squads, often leaving their home nations with weakened test sides and limited professional infrastructure. Moana Pasifika was meant to be part of the correction — a team that honoured heritage, strengthened pathways, and gave Pacific athletes a professional home that wasn’t dependent on European contracts.
But from the beginning, the franchise faced structural disadvantages:
- No established fan base, unlike the legacy New Zealand teams.
- Limited commercial backing, especially compared to the big-city franchises.
- A compressed timeline to build a competitive roster.
- COVID-era disruptions that crippled early momentum.
By 2024, financial strain was already visible. By 2025, it was existential.
“We Were Approached Too Late” — Peters
Peters revealed that less than a month ago, several parties approached the Government seeking support to stabilise the franchise financially.
“It would have been helpful if Moana Pasifika had come to us earlier about their financial situation,” he said, noting that achieving a rescue package in three weeks was “always going to be a bridge too far.”
He said the Government had hoped NZ Rugby would grant more time for a solution to be developed, but the governing body “decided they had to move ahead,” announcing today that Moana Pasifika will not be part of Super Rugby next year.
A Blow Felt Beyond the Field
For many Pacific families, Moana Pasifika represented more than a jersey. It was identity, visibility, and a rare moment where Pacific culture wasn’t an add‑on to New Zealand rugby but central to it.
The team’s removal raises uncomfortable questions:
- What does this mean for Pacific representation in professional rugby?
- Was the franchise ever given a fair chance to succeed?
- And what message does this send to the Pacific region, especially as New Zealand seeks to strengthen diplomatic ties?
What Happens Next
NZ Rugby has not yet outlined what will replace Moana Pasifika in the 2027 competition, nor what support — if any — will be offered to players and staff.
For now, Peters says the Government remains open to discussions, but the window NZ Rugby provided was simply too narrow.
The Pacific rugby community, both in New Zealand and across the region, will now be left wondering whether this is a temporary setback — or the end of a dream that was decades in the making.
