Meli Laddpeter 
Moana Pasifika’s time in the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific competition is set to end this season, according to reports.
It is reported that the Auckland-based side was informed yesterday that the team will be folded at the end of the current campaign.
If confirmed, the competition will be reduced to 10 teams next season, following the collapse of the Melbourne Rebels in 2024.
Moana Pasifika has been backed by World Rugby funding since joining the competition in 2022 alongside the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua.
The franchise later saw a majority stake taken over by the Pasifika Medical Association Group in 2024.
Despite its strong cultural significance, the team has faced ongoing challenges, including the lack of a permanent home ground, playing matches across multiple venues in New Zealand.
Former All Black and Samoa representative Lima Sopoaga has called on decision-makers to reconsider, saying the team represents more than just rugby.
He says Moana Pasifika is proof that Pacific players belong at the highest level of the game.
Meanwhile, All Black Ardie Savea remains contracted to the side until 2027, following his sabbatical in Japan this year.
