Moana Pasifika

Actor KJ Apa becomes Moana Pasifika's first official fan

The 24 year-old Riverdale star is the nephew of Moana Pasifika Trust chair and Samoan and All Blacks rugby legend Savae Sir Michael Jones.

With ties to the villages of Moata'a and Nuusuatia in Samoa, where his father Tupa'i Keneti Apa was bestowed his paramount chiefly title, Apa was a talented rugby player at high school before making it big in Hollywood.

The US-based actor said he will be supporting Moana Pasifika from afar and hopes to head home to New Zealand to catch a game as soon as he can.

Kiwi-Samoan Actor KJ Apa becomes Moana Pasifika's first official fan

The 24 year-old Riverdale star is the nephew of Moana Pasifika Trust chair and Samoan and All Blacks rugby legend Savae Sir Michael Jones.

With ties to the villages of Moata'a and Nuusuatia in Samoa, where his father Tupa'i Keneti Apa was bestowed his paramount chiefly title, Apa was a talented rugby player at high school before making it big in Hollywood.

The US-based actor said he will be supporting Moana Pasifika from afar and hopes to head home to New Zealand to catch a game as soon as he can.

Samoa Tourism announced as official partner of Moana Pasifika

Made up of players who identify with Pacific Island nations including Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and the Cook Islands, the Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) is thrilled to support the team’s debut.

The partnership will see the ‘Beautiful Samoa’ logo displayed prominently on the back of the team's playing jersey, as well as at Moana Pasifika’s home matches at Mt Smart Stadium, and on the club’s website and social media platforms – putting the island nation front and centre of the world’s most exciting provincial rugby tournaments.

Moana Pasifika signs three more

Veteran flanker Jack Lam spent the past two seasons with Japanese club NEC Green Rockets before returning to New Zealand earlier this year, making his way back to Waikato for the 2021 NPC season.

The former Test captain is joined by Counties Manukau Alamanda Motuga and Canterbury's Henry Time-Stowers.

All three played for Samoa against the Māori All Blacks and Tonga in June and July to help secure qualification for the next Rugby World Cup.

More players are expected to be announced next week.

     

Moana Pasifika confirm signing of Wallabies centurion Sekope Kepu

A veteran of 16 years of professional rugby experience, Kepu joins the new expansion side from Counties Manukau after joining the province for the 2021 NPC season.

The Covid-19 outbreak in New Zealand’s northern regions in recent months restricted the 35-year-old to just two appearances for the Steelers before Counties Manukau, as well as Auckland and North Harbour, were omitted from the remainder of the provincial campaign.

Moana Pasifika announce signings of three Manu Samoa internationals

Nine-test midfielder Henry Taefu and two-test utility backs Neria Foma’i and Tomasi Alosio have all signed for the new expansion franchise ahead of the 2022 season.

Taefu provides the most experience of the trio after having made his Manu Samoa debut against Tonga in Nuku’alofa four years ago.

Since then, the 28-year-old has featured regularly for Samoa at test level, starting in all four of his nation’s matches at the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

Crusaders half-back is the second player to sign with Moana Pasifika

The 24-year-old has five Super Rugby titles under his belt and is currently playing for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition.

Enari joins former Wallabies first five Christian Leali'ifano who was confirmed as Moana Pasifika's first major signing on Thursday.

Two more players are expected to be announced today.

     

Christian Leali'ifano confirmed as Moana Pasifika's first major signing

   

The 34 year-old has an impressive career total of 171 points with the Australian national side between 2013 and 2019, including a Rugby World Cup campaign.

Leali'ifano was a key playmaker in Brumbies Super Rugby campaigns between 2008 and 2019 with 150 Super Rugby appearances.

In 2016 he was diagnosed with leukemia. After a successful bone marrow transplant he returned to Super Rugby in 2017 before heading overseas for a short stint in Ireland's Pro14 and European Rugby Champions Cup with Ulster.

Moana Pasifka to confirm Aaron Mauger as coach

RNZ Pacific first reported in July that the former All Black would take charge of the Super Rugby newcomers, with Filo Tiatia as his assistant coach.

Moana Pasifika posted on social media last night that the team's head coach would be revealed soon, with a silhouette that clearly matched the 45 test veteran.

The 40-year-old is of Samoan, Cook Islands and Tahitian descent and was a part of the Moana Pasifika coaching team for last year's one-off clash against the Māori All Blacks.

Moana Pasifika to call Mt Smart home

The Penrose-based venue has been the home of the New Zealand Warriors since 1995, where they began their jounrey as a start-up franchise.

Moana Pasifika patron Tuifa'asisina Sir Bryan Williams said they were humbled to share Mt Smart as its home playing base.

"We've worked extremely hard to get to this point, and to have a sense of home and place to continue building our unique brand in the world's most competitive professional competition is huge," he said.