Pasifika SR team

[Kiwiwomble]

@stargazer thats what i was kind of getting at a few posts back, i wouldn't be surprised if after a couple of seasons it gets rebranded and moved to Hawkes Bay or something

[Duluth]

@stargazer said in Pasifika SR team:

I think the first season will show whether the underlying assumption - the Pasifika population in Auckland will support the team and fill Mt Smart stadium - is correct. If not, then there won't be any reason to keep this team based in Auckland and they could actually create a new franchise region.

They should've just created a new regular franchise. If they want ~30 PI qualified players in the competition they could've created a rule that all the franchises needed to select 5 PI qualified players

[Kiwiwomble]

@duluth yeah, or make PI players more attractive to include in their squads, run the comp straight through the RC, we get a full home and away round robin, som super saturdays with SR games before internationals and team's have to dig deep into their squads and so players that wont be called up to international teams become attractive

[Dice]

@kiwiwomble said in Pasifika SR team:

@stargazer thats what i was kind of getting at a few posts back, i wouldn't be surprised if after a couple of seasons it gets rebranded and moved to Hawkes Bay or something

Can't see that happening. They've signed a deal to be at Mt Smart until 2028.

[Kiwiwomble]

@dice really? hadn't seen the date, thats a long commitment

[Bovidae]

@duluth Who is "they"? AFAIK NZR aren't contributing to the MP player salaries so in this situation MP is independent of the 5 NZ franchises from a financial and governance POV.

[Dice]

@kiwiwomble said in Pasifika SR team:

@dice really? hadn't seen the date, thats a long commitment

Yeah, I was surprised when I saw the length of the deal.

Sep 27, 2021  /  Pacific

Moana Pasifika to call Mt Smart home

Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium has been announced as the new home ground for the inaugural Moana Pasifika's Super Rugby team.

Moana Pasifika have signed agreements with Auckland Unlimited, to call the training facility and 25,000-capacity stadium 'home' from 2022-2028.

[Daffy Jaffy]

[Chris]

@daffy-jaffy said in Pasifika SR team:

Not a bad looking squad shaping up.

[Daffy Jaffy]

@chris They dropped this hint on Instagram re: the next announcements -

Take the weekend off and check back in on Monday for another triple threat announcement! 🤩

Here’s a hint! 🇹🇴🇨🇰🇹🇴
I guess that means two Tongans and a Cook Islander?

[Chris]

@daffy-jaffy said in Pasifika SR team:

@chris They dropped this hint on Instagram re: the next announcements -

"Take the weekend off and check back in on Monday for another triple threat announcement! 🤩

Here’s a hint! 🇹🇴🇨🇰🇹🇴"
I guess that means two Tongans and a Cook Islander?

Yep looks like it. My mind starts to seek out who they maybe now.

[ARHS]

@chris Have Mike McKee, Isi Tu'ungafasi or Zane Kapeli been named yet? Sam Moli or Sila Puafisi?

[Nogusta]

@gt12 I heard a few of the young Auckland boys are off for a season of Major League Rugby - Niko being one of them.

[Chris]

@arhs said in Pasifika SR team:

@chris Have Mike McKee, Isi Tu'ungafasi or Zane Kapeli been named yet? Sam Moli or Sila Puafisi?

Not as yet.

[Steven Harris]

@chris Mike Mckee with a Cook Island Mum would be a lock in

[Chris]

@steven-harris said in Pasifika SR team:

@chris Mike Mckee with a Cook Island Mum would be a lock in

Yeah of course that’s the Cook island connection in the triple announcement tomorrow.

[Dice]

They've already named 6 backrowers. Probably only two backrow spots left to fill.

I saw the Moana Pasifika account say they'll have a couple of Fijians named next week.

[Daffy Jaffy]

@dice With PI eligible super level Locks maybe being a hard find, I can see Sione Tuipulotu covering Lock for them quite a bit.

[Stargazer]

The big question is: is IWL still under contract with the Hurricanes? Eligible for Fiji and NZL.

[Nogusta]

@daffy-jaffy Solomone Kata prolly be one?