Amid Flat Season, Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika Provide the Feel-Good Stories of the Weekend
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Amid a flat season dominated by compromising World Cup rotation, dwindling attendance, overriding frustrations with the lack of competitiveness and compelling contests, the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika provided the feel-good stories of the weekend. The Drua upset the Hurricanes in Fiji to spark feverish scenes, while Moana Pasifika pushed the Blues to the brink in Auckland. While the Blues were understrength, Moana’s passionate performance suggests something genuine could gradually eventuate from the cross-town battle for the 09. With the Crusaders in Christchurch this week, the spotlight on the Blues’ ongoing fluctuations can wait, for now.
Super Rugby desperately needs such theatre. Continually relying on the premier New Zealand derbies to set standards and drive interest is not sustainable on any level. Just as his players felt the hits and heat on the field, Blues coach Leon MacDonald squirmed anxiously in his seat as Moana scored 22 unanswered points to threaten an unthinkable upset. When Moana replacement Fine Inisi scored in the corner with 12 minutes remaining, it was all on. What might have been had Moana second-five D’Angelo Leuila nailed the sideline conversion for an eight-point lead.
The Drua and Moana Pasifika are a shining light for the development pathway sustained Super Rugby exposure will inevitably have in improving national teams. While that direct pathway remains somewhat blurred for Moana, and enduring patience is clearly required before they grasp consistent competitiveness, Saturday night’s near-boilover against the Blues offered an optimistic lens to their winless campaign.
The Drua are well placed to kick on and reach the bloated eight-team playoffs for the first time. Moana’s long-term sustainability has many obvious issues to confront in the coming years – New Zealand club teams draw larger crowds than they have hosted at Mt Smart Stadium this season. Yet after providing 12 players to the Ikale Tahi Tongan national team last year, Moana captain Solomone Funaki made a strong case for spinoffs the team’s platform is engineering. This is, after all, year two for the Drua and Moana.
Super Rugby Pacific sure needed a shot of the unexpected. The Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika combined to provide exactly that with a timely reminder of the hope for the competition’s evolution. With the Drua and Moana’s passionate performances, it is clear that the potential and possibilities are there if the right support is put in place. It will be exciting to see what the future holds for these teams in the coming years.
