After just five seasons of Super Rugby Pacific action, Moana Pasifika will fold at the conclusion of the 2026 campaign, citing funding issues as the reason for the decision.
Confirmed on Wednesday morning, the news followed Tuesday's report by News Corp that Moana's playing group was informed by the current owners that the franchise would not play on next season.
In a statement, Moana Pasifika Chair, Dr Kiki Maoate said the decision to shut up shop was "one of the hardest" he's had to make.
"This is one of the hardest decisions we have ever made. We are immensely proud of our players, staff, and the community who have supported our team over the years," he said.
"Across our rugby, pathways and community programmes, we have been able to support a growing hub of Pacific talent across multiple sporting codes, both locally and in the Pacific region. This is something we are extremely proud of and will continue to support and advocate for as best we can.
"Our commitment now is to ensure a smooth transition for everyone affected and to celebrate our legacy by finishing the season strong."
It means that after starting out as a 12-team competition in 2022, Super Rugby Pacific will from 2027 be contested by only 10 sides, with Melbourne Rebels having been wound up at the end of the 2024 season amid crippling financial debts.
Owners of the Rebels continue their legal action against Rugby Australia, though the national body is confident it has the firmer standing and will win the case when it heads to court in Melbourne.
Noise around Moana's future has been bubbling away for some time, with a proposal at one point even suggesting the franchise could have merged with the Rebels. But concerns grew around the team's future over the offseason when questions around the financial stability of majority owners Pasifika Medical Association began to surface.
The expansion franchise, that was originally set up by New Zealand Rugby with the help of World Rugby, enjoyed its best season last year when All Blacks star Ardie Savea signed on as their prized recruit, the back-rower later declaring he was "home" after multiple sensational performances that later earned him the competition's player of the year award.
But Savea's decision to spend the 2026 season in Japan, under new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie, immediately raised doubts about Moana's ability to compete consistently in Super Rugby this season, with the team now having so far managed just an opening win over the Fijian Drua through the first nine rounds of the season.
Coach Tana Umaga has meanwhile signed on with the All Blacks as a member of Rennie's staff, meaning the franchise would have been looking for a new leader beyond this season regardless. Umaga earlier in the year hit out at local rivals, the Blues, saying the franchise did "not want us here".
Moana had also struggled to nail down a homebase of their own, playing first at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium, before later switching between Pukekohe, Rotorua and Albany throughout their four-year existence. The team had taken a game to Samoa in 2023 and was hoping to play one match in Tonga this year, only for the plan to be scrubbed when a major sponsor was unable to be found.
New Zealand Rugby acknowledged the Moana owners' decision, but hinted it remained open to rebuilding the team at a later date if suitable financial support could be found.
"New Zealand Rugby (NZR) acknowledges the Moana Pasifika Board's decision that it is no longer viable for the club to continue beyond the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season," a statement from NZR read.
"Our immediate thoughts are with the players and their families, management and fans. Moana Pasifika has confirmed to NZR that it will continue to compete through to the conclusion of the current season. We know that they will give everything on the field to continue to inspire their communities.
"NZR remains supportive of Moana Pasifika's vision to create pathways from the Pacific and is saddened by the challenges the club faces. We are aware there may be parties exploring financially viable and sustainable plans for the future of the team. NZR is open to engaging with those parties to discuss the club's continued participation in Super Rugby Pacific."
Moana's conclusion will leave Super Rugby with yet another challenging midseason narrative, right at a time when it is getting ready to celebrate "Super Round" as the official opening act of Christchurch's One New Zealand Stadium on the Anzac Day weekend.
Moana will in the meantime head to Sydney on Friday night for their clash with the Waratahs, a match that will be played in front of Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle.
Just where Savea, who had insisted he would return to Moana in 2027, might land remains to be seen, but former franchise the Hurricanes would be favoured to land his prized signature.
If there is a silver lining for Super Rugby, it may be that the competition, consisting of 10 teams, could move to a full 18-game home-and-away tournament, which would please club bosses who have long bemoaned just the seven home games and the associated gate revenue.
The end of Moana comes at a time when the NRL is aggressively pushing rugby league across the Pacific, desperate to build its market share after the success of Samoa and Tonga at Test level.
Part of Australian Government's $600 million package set aside for the Papua New Guinea expansion NRL team has reportedly been instead carved off for the growth of rugby league in Samoa, Fiji and Tonga, which has led Rugby Australia to push for greater funding for the 15-player game through the region.
Meanwhile, Fijian Drua coach Glen Jackson has announced he will not take up the one-year option attached to his two-year deal. The Drua, who sit in 10th position through nine rounds, have only once made the finals and have struggled for form away from Fiji.
