‘Do we really matter?’ Pakilau warns of rugby ‘death spiral’ as Moana Pasifika exit looms

The confirmation that Moana Pasifika will exit Super Rugby Pacific after the 2026 season has sparked a fierce debate over how the sport values its Pacific players.

Pakilau Manase Lua says the decision feels like a "risky message" to a community that has carried the sport on its back for decades.

“Why do we have to beg and get on our knees as Pacific players, as Pacific peoples, given the massive contributions we've given to the sport over the many decades here in this country to survive?” the Tongan community leader told William Terite on Pacific Mornings.

Lua warns that the "custodians of the game" are failing to see the shift on the ground.

While Rugby Union pulls back, Rugby League is moving in with massive investment. And most notable is the Australian government’s $650 million (roughly NZ$715 million) package to fund the Papua New Guinea Chiefs as the NRL's 18th team in 2028.

“It’s a huge threat," Pakilau told Terite. "I mean, if you're honest, you watch the two codes, two very different games.

Fighting for a home: Moana Pasifika players face a tough road ahead with only four rounds left in the 2026 season. Sitting at the bottom of the ladder, the team are now fighting to prove that Pacific representation still has a future in Super Rugby. Photo/Moana Pasifika/file

"The product is clearly being put at threat in terms of union drawing the attention, particularly of younger Polynesian and Pacific Island kids who are now making a decision to play for rugby league.

He believes the "demise" of Moana Pasifika tells prospective players there is no real support for them in the 15-man code.

“I think it sends a very, very risky message for the long term for the game.”

The million-dollar shift: With Sāmoan star Jarome Luai signing a massive NZ$1.46m deal to lead the PNG Chiefs in 2028, Pakilau warns that Rugby Union can no longer compete with the "avalanche" of cash flowing from the NRL and the Australian government. Photo/Photosport/Allan McKenzie

The threat became a reality last week when the PNG Chiefs officially announced Wests Tigers star Jarome Luai as their first-ever marquee signing.

The Sāmoan international has committed to a massive AU$1.2m (NZ$1.46m) tax-free deal to lead the expansion side.

Pakilau says the move should be a massive "wake-up call for the masters of rugby union".

Super Rugby Pacific CEO: ‘Competition is in good health’

The Pacific community’s fear stands in sharp contrast to the view from the top.

Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley recently told ESPN that despite the loss of the Pacific franchise, the competition is stable and looking toward a new future.

“The competition is in good health,” Mesley said.

Business as usual: Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley maintains the competition is in "good health" despite the looming exit of Moana Pasifika.

He said that while Moana Pasifika are exiting, the league is exploring new expansion interests and remains focused on a sustainable financial model.

But many in the community argue that "sustainability" shouldn't come at the cost of representation.

Pakilau says for many Pacific families, this isn't just about a team. It’s about their value in society.

“Do we really matter? Do we really have any value in a society that even at the level of a sport doesn't seem like we're important?”

He says the lack of support for the team mirrors the political climate in Aotearoa following the recent "lashing" of Pacific institutions like the Ministry for Pacific Peoples.

More than a game: Pakilau Manase Lua argues that the lack of support for Moana Pasifika mirrors a political climate where Pacific institutions are being sidelined, asking a heartbreaking question: "Do we really matter?" Photo/Photosport

He says it also comes at a time when the community is already feeling the pinch from the fuel crisis and changes to immigration laws.

“When you come off the back of a Dawn Raids [apology], you come off the back of our ministry MPP being put at risk. All these messages come at a time when people are wondering, do we really matter?”

Pakilau believes the "higher powers in the rugby heavens" need to wake up before the "avalanche" of players heading to the NRL becomes unstoppable.

“The time is coming when taking our people for granted, whether it's on the rugby field, in the community, in services or in government. Those days are over,” Pakilau says.

The pressure is showing on the pitch, too. Moana Pasifika currently sit at the bottom of the table in 11th place with just four points after 12 rounds. The side fell 45-19 to the Blues on Saturday night at North Harbour Stadium.

Watch Pakilau Manase Lua's full interview below.

Despite a competitive first half where hooker Millennium Sanerivi scored twice to keep the game within two points, the Blues dominated the second half with 31 unanswered points.

Moana Pasifika have only one win from 11 matches this season, leaving them well outside the hunt for the top-six finals series.

As the team enter their final stretch of the 2026 season with four more rounds remaining, Pakilau says the ball is now firmly in the court of rugby’s administrators to prove that the Pacific still has a home in the "national sport".

Moana Pasifika will face the top-of-the-table Hurricanes in Auckland this Saturday, 9 May. For more on Super Rugby Pacific, click here.