The Japan Times - Latest team to fold sets Super Rugby up for another revamp

New Zealand-based Moana Pasifika, founded in 2020 as a pathway for players of Pacific heritage, said Wednesday it will disband at the end of the season.

Their impending exit follows the demise of the debt-laden Melbourne Rebels in 2024 and means next year's competition will have 10 teams -- five from New Zealand, four from Australia and the Fijian Drua.

It will be the most compact edition since Super Rugby launched 30 years ago.

NSW Waratahs coach Dan McKellar believes it is the ideal model to better connect with fans.

"I don't think we play enough rugby here," he said.

"My opinion would be, 'Let's play 18 games -- home and away -- and get as much rugby as we can into the players, without burning them out'.

"Just make it really, really simple -- make it easy for fans to follow and connect with the game.

"We play with the Crusaders here, we play them in Christchurch... do that with every team, throw in a couple of byes."

Broadcasters and rights holders have yet to weigh in, but the introduction of an Australian and New Zealand conference system, with trans-Tasman finals, is rumoured to be under consideration.

Super Rugby has gone through various shapes and sizes since its launch in 1996, initially starting with 12 teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

It became Super 14 with the addition of two teams for the 2006 season, then expanded to 15 in 2011 when it was rebranded Super Rugby.

The competition peaked with an ultimately unworkable 18 teams a decade ago with Japan and Argentina also involved, before reverting to 15 before the Covid pandemic again forced change.

A new era kicked off in 2022 with five Australian and five New Zealand teams joined by Drua and Moana after the exit of South African franchises.

That became 11 when the Rebels folded.

ACT Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham told reporters fewer teams would make Super Rugby stronger with more talent on offer to the 10 sides left.

Moana have a 38-strong squad and players will be desperately looking to find another club ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

"There's disappointment there but I think there's opportunities," he said.

"There's positives to it, obviously negatives for anyone who's involved, but hopefully positives for the competition, that it'll strengthen the other teams and make the competition even stronger."

Moana's marquee signing was All Blacks star Ardie Savea, who joined from the Wellington Hurricanes in 2025.

Savea was set to return in 2027 after a sabbatical in Japan with the flanker's signature likely to be the most sought after.

S.Fujimoto--JT