Five lessons from Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua matches at the weekend

RNZ News

2 days ago

Moana Pasifika v Fijian Drua
Photo:
supplied
It wasn't the ending Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua would have wanted.
On Saturday night, the two Pasifika teams
lost their final Super Rugby Pacific matches
for the season.
Moana were thrashed 64-12 by the Hurricanes in front of just over 20,000 fans at the Sky Stadium.
It was a match they needed to win to claim a sixth-place finish in the competition.
But they were not able to withstand the Hurricanes' pressure, and lost out of getting into the quarterfinals.
However, they finished seventh for the first time in the competition since 2022, the year they made their debut.
In Brisbane, the Fijian Drua went down 52-7 to the Queensland Reds.
So what went wrong?
What could the teams learn from their respective encounters?
Are there lessons they can take forward to 2026?
Here are five lessons from the team's performances.
There were some who said Moana Pasifika might have peaked early, with their best effort coming against the Blues a month ago.
That argument comes in light of the team's big losses to the Chiefs and the Hurricanes in the last two weekends.
Ardie Savea of Moana Pasifika against the Chiefs at FMG Stadium on Saturday 24 May 2025.
Photo:
Jeremy Ward
Did they peak early?
Assistant coach Stephen Jones believes they had prepared well for both matches and just could not click on the day.
He said both the Chiefs and the Hurricanes were just too superior and suffocated Moana Pasifika.
Did the two teams suffer from the lack of mental toughness?
It was a question both head coaches, Drua's Glen Jackson and Moana's Fa'alogo Tana Umaga, were asked now and then.
How are their players handling the pressure?
Would they come back from losses they had suffered and be ready for their next matches?
Both teams showed a lot of promise early in the season and while the Drua struggled from the midway mark, Moana Pasifika showed they had a lot in their tank and won six matches.
But the North Harbour-based side struggled against the Chiefs and the Hurricanes.
To many, it looked as if the side had not been able to handle the high of winning against the Blues.
The Drua had a 'on and off' season, winning one and then losing three on the road.
One thing both sides had in common was the fact that a lot of their players were still new to Super Rugby.
It showed.
Moana Pasifika v Fijian Drua
Photo:
supplied
One of the standouts is the fact that most of the players in both teams still need a lot of game time.
They need to be playing throughout the season, in competition that will make them seasoned campaigners.
Drua's Jackson said they will also look at those local players in Fiji playing in the Skipper Cup competition.
He lamented earlier that the majority of his players are not able to play in the New Zealand National Provincial Championship (NPC).
Moana Pasifika, on the other hand, have a number of young players in the NPC.
They all need to be getting games consistently.
One of the biggest problems for both teams has been the injuries suffered by some of their key players.
It proved to be critical in their campaign for the top six.
What will it mean moving forward?
How can the two teams ensure their players are injury-free for the season they are needed for?
It is an ongoing issue that they both will have to work on moving into the new season.
Moana Pasifika fans, crowd and supporters, Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika, round 16 of the Super Rugby Pacific competition.
Photo:
Photosport / Elias Rodriguez
With some players confirmed to leave both clubs, it would be critical that new recruits are secured.
Not just new recruits but those who can be identified as key players who can help both clubs improve.
There have been talks of some star players joining Moana Pasifika, following the inspirational Ardie Savea.
Whether the club will have the resources to do that is another story.
With almost seven months to go before the pre-season begins again, it is therefore important that both teams get their talent identification going early.
One thing is certain though: both the Drua and Moana Pasifika are here to stay and have key roles to play in keeping Super Rugby Pacific going.