Source: Radio New Zealand
Moana will host the Chiefs at Rotorua International Stadium on April 11. Photosport
Moana Pasifika will not play in the Pacific Islands this season, and have instead been forced to move one of their matches to Bay of Plenty.
The franchise announced on Thursday that the match scheduled to be played in Tonga, has been relocated to Rotorua.
Moana will host the Chiefs at Rotorua International Stadium on 11 April.
Nuku’alofa was originally intended as the venue for this fixture, but financial barriers once again blocked Moana going to the islands.
Under minimum broadcast standards, staging a Super Rugby game in Tonga requires transporting roughly three tonnes of equipment into the country at a cost of $600,000 – an expense the club must cover themselves.
It was a tough pill to swallow for Moana, who also had to cancel their Tonga visit in 2024 due to floodlight issues.
“It’s not a small undertaking to go over there and put on a game for our people. But that doesn’t mean that we’re not going to try and get there again. We just know we’ve got to do a bit more work and be able to hold a game there,” coach Fa’alogo Tana Umaga told RNZ.
However, Moana remain optimistic.
Moana Pasifika CEO, Debbie Sorensen said Bay of Plenty was a “win-win for both teams.”
“While we are sad we can’t take this game to Tonga, we do know that our fans and our community are everywhere – including in the Bay of Plenty region. I know Rotorua will also welcome the visit by the Chiefs.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
