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Moana Pasifika recruit two new coaches on eve of Super Rugby Pacific
By Alex McLeod
Super Rugby Pacific expansion franchise Moana Pasifika have added two new coaches to its management staff just over a month out from the kick-off of the new competition.
The side confirmed on Monday that Southland head coach Dale MacLeod and former Blues, Chiefs and Sunwolves prop Pauliasi Manu will join Moana Pasifika for its inaugural season.
Together, the pair join head coach Aaron Mauger and assistant coach Filo Tiatia on the Moana Pasifika coaching team.
MacLeod joins the franchise as a defence coach after having served as Southland assistant coach in 2018 and 2019, and then as head coach between 2020 and 2021.
Under his guidance, the Stags snapped a three-year losing streak in 2019 before improving drastically during his time as head coach.
That was reflected by their three NPC victories in 2020, followed by a semi-final appearance in last year's Championship division.
MacLeod also has experience as a coach and academy manager for Northland and has previously taken charge of the Blues A and Highlanders Bravehearts development teams.
Whether MacLeod will return to Southland for the province's 2022 NPC campaign remains to be seen, but he told Stuff last November that he is eager to juggle his Stags role with his new position with Moana Pasifika.
“Dale knows how to work hard and well in a challenging environment," Moana Pasifika rugby director Kevin Senio said in a statement.
“He is a man who is passionate about rugby and really believes in his players. He has high standards, takes pride in his work, and really invests in the growth and development of players. He’s a welcome addition to the group."
He knows how to roll with the punches that Covid tends to throw at a rugby team, and he knows how to make the best of whatever hand he gets dealt. His work with Southland on defence got everyone’s attention and his leadership style is a great fit for Moana.
Manu, meanwhile, has signed with Moana Pasifika as a scrum coach, a position of which he will bring plenty of experience to after having played 91 Super Rugby matches before retiring in 2019.
The 34-year-old also earned a 2015 World Cup winners medal when he was called into the All Blacks squad as an injury replacement, but never took to the field to make his test debut.
"Pauliasi is an excellent signing for our coaching group. He is one of these freak players who has mad talent, which is why he has a Rugby World Cup medal from 2015 after he was called in as injury backup for the All Blacks at the 2015 tournament," Senio said.
“He has been coaching with Counties Manukau and we know that he will bring a fresh players perspective to his coaching. There’s no one better to coach a scrum than someone who intimately knows what it’s like from inside the pack, and what’s needed.”
Both MacLeod and Manu have assembled with the Moana Pasifika squad at Mt Smart Stadium, where the team will kick-off the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season against the Blues on February 18.
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Latest Comments
Excellent points Mz. Because of other commitments I have just watched the game.
Interesting watching it after reading all the news reports especially in the English media. I was expecting to see a game that the ABs were very lucky to win. What I saw was a game that England showed their tactical incompetence and their inability to construct any try scoring opportunities.
They can go on deluding themselves that they were unlucky to lose ( as Borthwick said post match ) but until they stop relying on rush defence and goal kicking to win I feel they're doomed to be ranked 4 or 5 in the world.
Can't wait until the weekend to see how the Wallabies go against them
Though I dare say Walter will be hoping for an England win.
Go to commentsIF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.
As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.
Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).
This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.
If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.
Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.
After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.
Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.
Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)
Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.
Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.
Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.
Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:
Seeding Band 1
IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG
Seeding Band 2
SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO
Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6
Strongest pool opponent: FIJI
1/8 final opponent GEORGIA
Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond
Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6
Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA
1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND
Prognosis: You know the prognosis
I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?
Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.
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