Moana Pasifika 2026
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Yes, my apologies as I had to confirm a couple things before posting.
Ngani Laumape has signed with Moana. Comes from a reliable contact who usually provides me with the majority of the information I post in here. Manawatu Turbos are also trying to get him to play for them in this years NPC and by all accounts it’s sounding like he will be.
Ngani Laumape to Moana. Awesome to see!
@Landers92 While not on an NZRU contract does that make him All Black eligible? MP is afterall fielding Ardie.
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@African-Monkey said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Lol people have only taken notice now because they won a few games. This happens every season.
I also like how people act like we're everyone's 2nd favourite team all of a sudden when virtually no one wanted a bar of us in the first 3 seasons.
That's simply not true, what kind of weird bubble have you been living in?
@Nepia said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@African-Monkey said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Lol people have only taken notice now because they won a few games. This happens every season.
I also like how people act like we're everyone's 2nd favourite team all of a sudden when virtually no one wanted a bar of us in the first 3 seasons.
That's simply not true, what kind of weird bubble have you been living in?
Oh come on it is. They barely got a mention in the first 3 years, players came and went in droves, no one really mentioned it at all, but now that they've won a few games, all of a sudden there's a big song and dance about it in season 4, and a lot of the comments were 'what's the point in this team', 'who's paying for it' etc plenty on here were critical of it too.
Props to Ardie for giving them a shot in the arm, even that received a bit of backlash.
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@Landers92 While not on an NZRU contract does that make him All Black eligible? MP is afterall fielding Ardie.
@SBW1 said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@Landers92 While not on an NZRU contract does that make him All Black eligible? MP is afterall fielding Ardie.
I can’t answer that one sorry, just know the signing situation. I can only assume the reason he is playing for Moana is that he must be eyeing up playing for Tonga
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@Nepia said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@African-Monkey said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Lol people have only taken notice now because they won a few games. This happens every season.
I also like how people act like we're everyone's 2nd favourite team all of a sudden when virtually no one wanted a bar of us in the first 3 seasons.
That's simply not true, what kind of weird bubble have you been living in?
Oh come on it is. They barely got a mention in the first 3 years, players came and went in droves, no one really mentioned it at all, but now that they've won a few games, all of a sudden there's a big song and dance about it in season 4, and a lot of the comments were 'what's the point in this team', 'who's paying for it' etc plenty on here were critical of it too.
Props to Ardie for giving them a shot in the arm, even that received a bit of backlash.
@African-Monkey said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@Nepia said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@African-Monkey said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Lol people have only taken notice now because they won a few games. This happens every season.
I also like how people act like we're everyone's 2nd favourite team all of a sudden when virtually no one wanted a bar of us in the first 3 seasons.
That's simply not true, what kind of weird bubble have you been living in?
Oh come on it is. They barely got a mention in the first 3 years, players came and went in droves, no one really mentioned it at all, but now that they've won a few games, all of a sudden there's a big song and dance about it in season 4, and a lot of the comments were 'what's the point in this team', 'who's paying for it' etc plenty on here were critical of it too.
Props to Ardie for giving them a shot in the arm, even that received a bit of backlash.
Lots of us have been supporting MP from day one. You're not special.
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@African-Monkey said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@Nepia said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@African-Monkey said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Lol people have only taken notice now because they won a few games. This happens every season.
I also like how people act like we're everyone's 2nd favourite team all of a sudden when virtually no one wanted a bar of us in the first 3 seasons.
That's simply not true, what kind of weird bubble have you been living in?
Oh come on it is. They barely got a mention in the first 3 years, players came and went in droves, no one really mentioned it at all, but now that they've won a few games, all of a sudden there's a big song and dance about it in season 4, and a lot of the comments were 'what's the point in this team', 'who's paying for it' etc plenty on here were critical of it too.
Props to Ardie for giving them a shot in the arm, even that received a bit of backlash.
Lots of us have been supporting MP from day one. You're not special.
@Nepia said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@African-Monkey said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@Nepia said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@African-Monkey said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Lol people have only taken notice now because they won a few games. This happens every season.
I also like how people act like we're everyone's 2nd favourite team all of a sudden when virtually no one wanted a bar of us in the first 3 seasons.
That's simply not true, what kind of weird bubble have you been living in?
Oh come on it is. They barely got a mention in the first 3 years, players came and went in droves, no one really mentioned it at all, but now that they've won a few games, all of a sudden there's a big song and dance about it in season 4, and a lot of the comments were 'what's the point in this team', 'who's paying for it' etc plenty on here were critical of it too.
Props to Ardie for giving them a shot in the arm, even that received a bit of backlash.
Lots of us have been supporting MP from day one. You're not special.
Yeah about a handful of us
and I never claimed I was, just stating facts -
@Nepia said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@African-Monkey said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@Nepia said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@African-Monkey said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Lol people have only taken notice now because they won a few games. This happens every season.
I also like how people act like we're everyone's 2nd favourite team all of a sudden when virtually no one wanted a bar of us in the first 3 seasons.
That's simply not true, what kind of weird bubble have you been living in?
Oh come on it is. They barely got a mention in the first 3 years, players came and went in droves, no one really mentioned it at all, but now that they've won a few games, all of a sudden there's a big song and dance about it in season 4, and a lot of the comments were 'what's the point in this team', 'who's paying for it' etc plenty on here were critical of it too.
Props to Ardie for giving them a shot in the arm, even that received a bit of backlash.
Lots of us have been supporting MP from day one. You're not special.
Yeah about a handful of us
and I never claimed I was, just stating facts @African-Monkey said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@Nepia said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@African-Monkey said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@Nepia said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@African-Monkey said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Lol people have only taken notice now because they won a few games. This happens every season.
I also like how people act like we're everyone's 2nd favourite team all of a sudden when virtually no one wanted a bar of us in the first 3 seasons.
That's simply not true, what kind of weird bubble have you been living in?
Oh come on it is. They barely got a mention in the first 3 years, players came and went in droves, no one really mentioned it at all, but now that they've won a few games, all of a sudden there's a big song and dance about it in season 4, and a lot of the comments were 'what's the point in this team', 'who's paying for it' etc plenty on here were critical of it too.
Props to Ardie for giving them a shot in the arm, even that received a bit of backlash.
Lots of us have been supporting MP from day one. You're not special.
Yeah about a handful of us
and I never claimed I was, just stating facts It was a big handful ... a lot of Hawkes Bay players in the early MP teams.
Tana seems to be chasing them all away though. :face_with_tears_of_joy:
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@SBW1 said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@Landers92 While not on an NZRU contract does that make him All Black eligible? MP is afterall fielding Ardie.
I can’t answer that one sorry, just know the signing situation. I can only assume the reason he is playing for Moana is that he must be eyeing up playing for Tonga
@Landers92 Will be interesting to see how he goes for the Turbos.
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@Landers92 While not on an NZRU contract does that make him All Black eligible? MP is afterall fielding Ardie.
@SBW1 said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@Landers92 While not on an NZRU contract does that make him All Black eligible? MP is afterall fielding Ardie.
Believe he is eligible because he's already played for the All Blacks.
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Does anyone know if Ardie will be playing for MP next year?
A mate of mine who currently plays in Japan seems to think he's heading back there
@hikastags said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Does anyone know if Ardie will be playing for MP next year?
A mate of mine who currently plays in Japan seems to think he's heading back there
He has a sabbatical option in his contract for next year so would be strange to not exercise it. Nothing publicly announced yet though - maybe after this year's momentum he'll want to stick around for another season and use his sabbatical in 2027.
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@hikastags said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Does anyone know if Ardie will be playing for MP next year?
A mate of mine who currently plays in Japan seems to think he's heading back there
He has a sabbatical option in his contract for next year so would be strange to not exercise it. Nothing publicly announced yet though - maybe after this year's momentum he'll want to stick around for another season and use his sabbatical in 2027.
@Mr-Fish said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@hikastags said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Does anyone know if Ardie will be playing for MP next year?
A mate of mine who currently plays in Japan seems to think he's heading back there
He has a sabbatical option in his contract for next year so would be strange to not exercise it. Nothing publicly announced yet though - maybe after this year's momentum he'll want to stick around for another season and use his sabbatical in 2027.
It’s my understanding NZR doesn’t allow ‘sabbaticals’ in RWC years.
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@Mr-Fish said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@hikastags said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Does anyone know if Ardie will be playing for MP next year?
A mate of mine who currently plays in Japan seems to think he's heading back there
He has a sabbatical option in his contract for next year so would be strange to not exercise it. Nothing publicly announced yet though - maybe after this year's momentum he'll want to stick around for another season and use his sabbatical in 2027.
It’s my understanding NZR doesn’t allow ‘sabbaticals’ in RWC years.
@zedsdeadbaby said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@Mr-Fish said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@hikastags said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Does anyone know if Ardie will be playing for MP next year?
A mate of mine who currently plays in Japan seems to think he's heading back there
He has a sabbatical option in his contract for next year so would be strange to not exercise it. Nothing publicly announced yet though - maybe after this year's momentum he'll want to stick around for another season and use his sabbatical in 2027.
It’s my understanding NZR doesn’t allow ‘sabbaticals’ in RWC years.
Yeah thought it would be strange to not have players playing at home in a WC year.
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@Mr-Fish said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@hikastags said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Does anyone know if Ardie will be playing for MP next year?
A mate of mine who currently plays in Japan seems to think he's heading back there
He has a sabbatical option in his contract for next year so would be strange to not exercise it. Nothing publicly announced yet though - maybe after this year's momentum he'll want to stick around for another season and use his sabbatical in 2027.
It’s my understanding NZR doesn’t allow ‘sabbaticals’ in RWC years.
@zedsdeadbaby said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@Mr-Fish said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@hikastags said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
Does anyone know if Ardie will be playing for MP next year?
A mate of mine who currently plays in Japan seems to think he's heading back there
He has a sabbatical option in his contract for next year so would be strange to not exercise it. Nothing publicly announced yet though - maybe after this year's momentum he'll want to stick around for another season and use his sabbatical in 2027.
It’s my understanding NZR doesn’t allow ‘sabbaticals’ in RWC years.
Would certainly make sense.
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It's official.
https://moanapasifika.co.nz/ngani-laumape-signs-with-moana-pasifika/
The article also says that 30 of the 38-man squad are locked in.
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It's official.
https://moanapasifika.co.nz/ngani-laumape-signs-with-moana-pasifika/
The article also says that 30 of the 38-man squad are locked in.
@Bovidae i can confirm Allen Craig has re signed for another 2 x years with MP
I also know Mp were in discussions with Rebel And Tahs lock/6 Angelo Smith who was unfortunately injured preseason and did not feature
Smith who is Fijian stands at 1.99m 115kgs is some athlete
Unreal impact player especially off the bench with ball in hand excellent on his own and opposition ball
Only issue could be a securing a visa -
Good to see many of the super teams embracing social media better
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKswJScCysr/?igsh=aWJsOHB5azNsYm1r
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@Daffy-Jaffy is sione havili also joining the chiefs
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@Nogusta said in Moana Pasifika 2026:
@cliff Hes off to Japan I believe
Gooooood.
Now tell me that the Chiefs have signed Mathis.
https://media.tenor.com/x382akMcQrMAAAAM/the-goonies-chunk.gif
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This can be shifted across to the exodus thread if need be.
There has been a bit of speculation around Ardie Savea taking his sabbatical in 2026 or not.
I have been told he will be taking that sabbatical and heading back to Japan for the 2026 season so will not be available for Moana. This is coming from the same source who provided the Laumape information a week or so before it was announced.
