Future of iconic rugby nations at ‘real risk’ as Super Rugby Pacific Franchise set to be disbanded

News broke on Wednesday that Moana Pasifika may be disbanded, as the ownership confirmed it would not continue funding the operation beyond this season.

Pasifika was introduced into Super Rugby in 2022 alongside Fijian Drua and was designed to represent Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands.

However, the plan to bring Super Rugby to the islands to help grow the sport never really reached its completion, as it was supposed to be based in Samoa, but this never came to fruition, as apart from a single game in Apia and another in Tonga across their five seasons, they have instead operated in obscurity in Auckland.

There are still hopes that the club can be saved, but the likelihood seems to be that the club will disappear and Super Rugby will be a 10-team league without Pasifika for 2027.

Jimmy Tupou of Moana Pasifika looks on during the round 10 Super Rugby match between NSW Waratahs and Moana Pasifika (Getty Images)

Moana Pasifika coach Tana Umaga fears the region’s talent will gravitate to league and derail the Tongan and Samoan Test sides moving forward, as reported in the Guardian.

Umaga said: “We understand why we’re here, and for people that look like us and have our background, that’s important.

“A professional environment created by us; that means a lot.

“The gap between where we [Samoa and Tonga] are currently, internationally, to where we need to get to is very big.

“Without Moana to bridge that gap, it’s going to be tough.

“If we keep going the way we’re going, the possibility [is that] they might not make the next cycle of the World Cup.

“That’s the real risk.

Tonga's fly-half Raymond Pierre Hola (L) vies with an unidentified Samoa's player during their rugby union World Cup group A match Samoa vs. Tonga (Getty Images)

“What is the answer? If it’s not us, then what? If we’re not there, then what for Samoa and Tonga?

“There’s a glimmer of hope for us, and that’s what we’ve got to look forward to, and we’ve just got to keep pushing forward.

These Pacific nations have been iconic figures in the World Cup, playing their part in some iconic matches against Tier One nations; however, in recent years they have struggled to reach these heights, with this being highlighted in Samoa’s struggles to qualify for the 2027 competition set to take place in Australia.

Samoa and Tonga have brought a unique flavour to rugby, and the loss of them at the highest level would be felt by all the major nations in the sport with the loss of this club that would have developed their talent at the highest level.