Coaches welcome more competitive Super Rugby landscape
- Sanzaar Media
- Mar 11
- 4 min read
Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua hope their first wins of the Super Rugby season will mark a turning point in a competition shaping as more even than in recent years.
Moana coach Tana Umaga was thrilled the championship's two newest teams both won on the same weekend for the first time, producing passionate displays in front of home supporters on Saturday.
The Drua stunned the competition-leading Chiefs 28-24 in Lautoka before Moana - a team comprising players of Pacific heritage - toppled the Hurricanes 40-31 in Auckland.
Both sides have largely struggled since their introduction to the new-look competition in 2022, when teams from South Africa, Japan and Argentina were removed.
"It's great when you have Super Rugby Pacific and the Pacific teams are actually winning," former All Black captain Umaga said.
"It makes you feel good for all our people out there.
"But we just don't want to be winning now and then; we want to be consistent all the time. There’s work for us to do."
The off-season signing of All Black great Ardie Savea has generated considerable interest in Moana's campaign, while inspiring his teammates.
Fellow loose forward Miracle Fai'ilagi took the limelight from Savea on Saturday by scoring the first hat-trick of tries by a Moana player.
The Hurricanes, who qualified first for last year's play-offs, languish in last place, one spot behind the defending champion Blues.
While disappointed with his team's early results, Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw said it was positive the competition had become less predictable.
All three Super Rugby Pacific finals to date have comprised only New Zealand teams.
"It does feel like there’s been a shift," Laidlaw said.
"Long may it continue.
"The last thing we want as a competition is runaway teams. As hard as it is for us tonight, Moana winning and the Drua winning is what the competition needs and wants."
The Crusaders ensured it wasn't a winless weekend for teams from New Zealand, outclassing the Queensland Reds 43-19 in Christchurch on Sunday.
The New South Wales Waratahs are the only unbeaten side after sweeping aside the Western Force 34-10 in Sydney.
Tournament Statistics
Most points: Harry Godfrey (Hurricanes) 50, Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) 48, Ben Donaldson (Force) 42.
Most tries: Carlo Tizzano (Force) 5, Kyren Taumoefolau (Moana Pasifika), Ponipate Loganimasi, Vuate Karawalevu (Fijian Drua), Kyle Preston (Hurricanes) 4.
Most carries: Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa (Moana Pasifika) 73, Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs) 56, Tizzano 42.
Most clean breaks: Taumoefolau 10, Tupaea 7, McKenzie, Corey Toole (Brumbies), Caleb Tangitau (Highlanders) 6.
Most defenders beaten: McKenzie 23, Angus Bell (Waratahs) 17, Tupaea, Sevu Reece (Crusaders) 15.
Most line-outs won: Darcy Swain (Force) 17, Rob Leota (Waratahs) 16, Caleb Delany (Hurricanes) 14.
Most metres gained: Tom Wright (Brumbies), Taumoefolau 291, Tangitau 285.
Most offloads: Reece 8, Kini Naholo (Hurricanes) 7, Meli Derenalagi (Drua), Du'Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes) 6.
Most tackles: Tizzano 76, Champion de Crespigny (Force) 73, Ricky Riccitelli (Blues) 70.
This weekend the Chiefs play the Blues in another repeat of last year's Grand Final that saw the Blues crowned champions - the Chiefs gained revenge in Round 1 25-14; while the old Aussie foes the Queensland Reds and NSW Waratahs do battle in Brisbane.
The race to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year has narrowed up after a wild Round 4.
Savea retains the lead but there's seven players sitting within three points of the Moana Pasifika captain.
In 2025, Super Rugby Pacific will crown the competition's most outstanding player with the presentation of the inaugural Player of the Year Award.
The captains and head coaches of both teams nominate their top three players from the opposing team each week, allocating three votes, two votes, and one vote, respectively.
Here is how they voted
Blues v Brumbies
6 - Patrick Tuipulotu (BLU)
5 - Tom Hooper (BRU)
3 - Declan Meredith (BRU), Rory Scott (BRU)
2 - Beauden Barrett (BLU), Cameron Suafoa (BLU)
1 - Allan Alaalatoa (BRU), AJ Lam (BLU), Finlay Christie (BLU)
Fijian Drua v Chiefs
4 - Ponipate Loganimasi (DRU), Meli Derenalagi (DRU), Emoni Narawa (CHI)
3 - Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula (DRU), Leroy Carter (CHI)
2 - Josh Jacomb (CHI), Tupou Vaa'i (CHI)
1 - Frank Lomani (DRU), Naitoa Ah Kuoi (CHI)
Moana Pasifika v Hurricanes
5 - Brayden Iose (HUR), Miracle Faiilagi (MOA), Patrick Pellegrini (MOA)
4 - Peter Lakai (HUR)
2 - Bailyn Sullivan (HUR)
1 - Caleb Delany (HUR), Tom Savage (MOA), Kyren Taumoefolau (MOA)
NSW Waratahs v Western Force
5 - Max Jorgensen (WAR)
3 - Hugh Sinclair (WAR), Carlo Tizzano (FOR), Darcy Swain (FOR)
2 - Lawson Creighton (WAR), Hamish Stewart (FOR), Nick Champion De Crespigny (FOR)
1 - Angus Bell (WAR), David Porecki (WAR), Ben Donaldson (FOR), Nic White (FOR)
Crusaders v Queensland Reds
6 - Will Jordan (CRU)
5 - Harry Wilson (RED)
4 - Fraser McReight (RED)
2 - Filipo Daugunu (RED), Sevu Reece (CRU), Ethan Blackadder (CRU)
1 - Tate McDermott (RED), Kyle Preston (CRU), Christian Lio-Willie (CRU)
Super Rugby Pacific POTY Ladder
12 - Ardie Savea (MOA)
11 - Harry Godfrey (HUR), Harry Wilson (RED), Vuate Karawalevu (DRU),
10 - Patrick Tuipulotu (BLU), Tom Hooper (BRU), Quinn Tupaea (CHI),
9 - Fraser McReight (RED)
8 - Sevu Reece (CRU), Miracle Faiilagi (MOA), Ben Donaldson (FOR)
Fixtures
(All times local - home team)
Highlanders v Hurricanes - Friday @ Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin (7.05pm)
ACT Brumbies v Fijian Drua - Friday @ GIO Stadium, Canberra (7.35pm)
Crusaders v Western Force - Saturday @ Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch (16:35)
Chiefs v Blues - Saturday @ FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton (7.05pm)
Queensland Reds v NSW Waratahs - Saturday @ Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (6.35pm)
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