All Black Ardie Savea close to joining Moana Pasifika – report

Moana Pasifika are close to completing what would be the biggest signing in the club’s history with All Blacks vice-captain Ardie Savea reportedly on the brink of joining the team.

As reported by The New Zealand Herald’s Liam Napier on Friday, Savea is “at the pointy end” of negotiations with New Zealand Rugby over a new deal that includes conversations about committing through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Savea, 30, is also looking to finalise his playing future in Super Rugby Pacific after returning to New Zealand following a sabbatical with Kobe Steelers in Japan. The reigning World Rugby Player of the Year was expected to return to the Hurricanes but that might not be the case.

As the New Zealand-based journalist explained, there have been rumours about Savea signing with Moana Pasifika but an official announcement is expected next week once the All Blacks return home after playing Fiji in San Diego.

The Herald has reported that Savea is “likely” to sign with the team based out of Auckland, which could see the All Black take the field with brother Julian, who played 54-Tests for New Zealand

The move would also see Savea fulfil what seems to be a long-held dream of representing Samoa, albeit in Super Rugby Pacific as opposed to the international arena at this stage.

“If you were to ask me four years ago, I would have loved to play for Samoa and put the jersey on,” Savea told Jim Hamilton on Walk the Talk earlier this year.

“But right now, I’m getting older and I think I’d be doing a disservice to the jersey if I was to just go there when I’m older.

“We’ll see, but with the rules of stand-down being three years, it’s just a long time.

For me, I want to give back to Samoa in different ways,” he added.

“It might be going back home and helping out the kids there or doing something like that in my village.

“It might not be representing them on an international stage but just doing something to give back.”

In their third season in Super Rugby, Moana Pasifika showed genuine signs of promise as they finished the 14-game regular season with four wins. They may have finished second-last, but this isn’t a side that wasn't that far off the mark.

Moana Pasifika beat Fijian Drua 39-36 in early March, and later recorded wins over the Western Force in Perth, the Queensland Reds in New Zealand and the NSW Waratahs at Auckland’s Go Media Stadium.

As for the Hurricanes, the decision for Savea to potentially not return to Wellington will come as a big blow. They have quality depth in the backrow with options including Braydon Iose, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Peter Lakai and more, but Ardie Savea is Ardie Savea after all.

With the Hurricanes looking to build on their semi-final finish in 2024, the addition or return of Savea for the next year’s campaign would’ve come as a major boost but other opportunities are there for the taking.