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Moana Pasifika bring in former Wallabies playmaker for Chiefs challenge

Christian Lealiifano. (Photo by Photosport)

After a promising first-up performance against the Crusaders earlier this month, head coach Aaron Mauger has retained the bulk of the Moana Pasifika starting line-up for this Saturday’s clash with the Chiefs.

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While the newest Super Rugby franchise eventually fell to a 33-12 defeat at the Crusaders’ hands, Moana Pasifika held their own for much of the match and scored the first try of the encounter thanks to a great break by first five Lincoln McClutchie.

Ironically, shifting McClutchie to the bench is one of only three changes that Mauger has made to the run-on side, with the experienced Christian Lealiiafano tasked with wearing the No 10 jersey against the high-flying Chiefs.

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What it’s like being the only non-Fijian member of the Fijian Drua squad.

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      What it’s like being the only non-Fijian member of the Fijian Drua squad.

      There’s also been a change at halfback with former Chief Jonathan Taumateine selected to partner Lealiiafano and Ereatari Enari dropping to the reserves. Aaron Mauger highlighted the strength of the positional group within Moana Pasifika.

      “We have strong and healthy competition at both 9 & 10 and all of these men are putting their hand up at training and leading the growth in our game,” he said of the changes.

      “As a coaching group we thought that both Ere and Lincoln were really sharp against the Crusaders with JT and Christian both performing well off the bench.

      “Although we have had plenty of disruptions recently we felt it was important to stick to our original plan and give Christian and JT the opportunity to start this week, they have both proven they are up for that challenge and we know that Ere and Lincoln will give us what we need later on the game in any given circumstance.”

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      The final tweak to the starting line-up sees Solomone Funaki shift from the blindside flank to the openside in place of Alamanda Motuga with Sione Tuipulto taking over in the No 6 jersey.

      The only change to the reserves sees Hawke’s Bay loose forward Josh Kaifa take the place of Jack Lam.

      Although Moana Pasifika have played just the one competition game against the Crusaders since their inception, they did take on the Chiefs as their sole pre-season fixture earlier this year. The Chiefs won that match at a canter, scoring nine tries in a 61-7 thrashing of Super Rugby’s new boys.

      “We were excited to play the Hurricanes and would have benefited from the experience, but the right call was made to protect player welfare,” head coach Aaron Mauger said.

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      “This week we were preparing to play the Highlanders on Friday, instead we look forward to facing the challenge that the Chiefs will bring on our home ground.

      “We have been focussing on fine tuning our execution. In the second half against the Crusaders, we had opportunities to put them under pressure and they started to feel it as well. We will be sharper this week against the Chiefs and will keep getting better.”

      Saturday’s match kicks off at 7:05pm from Mt Smart Stadium in South Auckland.

      Moana Pasifika team to play Chiefs:

      1. Ezekiel Lindenmuth
      2. Luteru Tolai
      3. Sekope Kepu (c)
      4. Mike McKee
      5. Samuel Slade
      6. Sione Tu’ipulotu (Debut)
      7. Solomone Funaki
      8. Henry Time-Stowers
      9. Jonathan Taumateine
      10. Christian Leali’ifano
      11. Neria Foma’i
      12. Danny Toala
      13. Levi Aumua
      14. Tima Fainga’anuku
      15. William HaviliReserves
      16. Samiuela Moli
      17. Taukiha’amea Koloamatagi
      18. Joe Apikotoa
      19. Alex McRobbie
      20. Josh Kaifa (Debut)
      21. Ereatara Enari
      22. Lincoln McClutchie
      23. Fine Inisi

      Unavailable due to injury: Don Lolo (shoulder), Solomone Kata (knee), Lolagi Visinia (foot), Alamanda Motuga (wrist), Anzelo Tuitavuki (hamstring), Manu Paea (concussion), Isi Tu’ungafasi (neck), Penitoa Finau (back), Lotu Inisi (ankle).

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      t
      takata 1 hour ago
      Can Les Bleus avoid a Black-wash in New Zealand?

      Please, tell me who exactly are all those millionaires owning the Top 14?


      And, by the way, can you tell me who are also those that ever transformed a single French club into their cash cow?


      It’s probably an old cliché comming from, some time ago in early pro time, the revival of both Ile-de-France clubs by private investors like J. Lorenzetti at Racing 92, or the rise of Toulon’s “Gallacticos” under Mourad Boudjellal, ending with the very noisy late Altrad investments into Montpellier-Hérault. Even if a few major titles were collected by those clubs, and that it would indeniably have helped to rise the fame of the whole Top 14, the global return on private investments simply didn’t ever pay back what they put in.


      Another look into the last decade will show you that French clubs are not millionaires pet-projects either. From this season top 6, amongst Stade Toulousain (1st), Union Bordeaux-Bègles (2nd), Rugby Club Toulonnais (3rd), l’Aviron Bayonnais (4th), Clermont-Auvergne (5th) and Castres Olympique (6th), only the last two are backed by historical corporate entities: Michelin (tires) for Clermont and Laboratoires Pierre Fabre (pharma) for Castres.


      That’s long term sponsorship from those city main industries and, with Stade Toulousain since 1907, Clermont and Castres (one of the lowest budget in Top 14), are also the oldest members of the French rugby club elite. This certainly prove some healthy stability in their management. They are in fact as far away from marketing “products” that they are from Paris.


      But in Top 14, as reflected by their national team selection, club power is certainly measured by their success. The most successful of them all, Stade Toulousain, reached a 2023-2024 budget comparable with the lower end of a French elite football club (those not named PSG) and half of it’s income (€30 millions) was comming from merchandising sales only. Last monday, UBB sold out, in a matter of few hours, its 20K season ticket (out of their 32K seats stadium) and La Rochelle’s stadium was also sold out faster than I can type it for every single game of last season; and so on.


      Now, take only those three clubs providing 90% of the national team and paying 100% of their wages. Tell them that the share of the limited game time allowed to their top players, will rise from 25% to 40% for the national team, without any further compensation for the club than allowing them to spend more in recruitment (of probably lesser quality substitutes).


      See how it goes now with their board and Presidents, even if probably all of them are turning real profits.

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