Elliott Smith: Don't judge Moana Pasifika on tonight's debut

Sekope Kepu of Moana Pasifika looks on during the Super Rugby pre season trial match between Moana Pasifika and the Chiefs. Photo / Getty Images.

Elliott Smith highlights the key talking points from the world of rugby.

An observation ...

The untimely passing of Va'aiga Tuigamala and Joeli Vidiri still leaves me in disbelief. The pair were from a different era of rugby — straddling the amateur/professional divide — and were larger-than-life stars, even if they were, in reality, softly-spoken figures. These guys had must-watch talent because they played the game so differently to the norm at the time.

Vidiri on Andre Joubert in the 1996 Super 12 final verges on comical such is the mismatch. Locally, Ardie Savea gets close but he doesn't have the cult worship those players had. Put it down to a different era of fandom, or the fact the way rugby is played these days doesn't allow for someone to turn the sport on its head. The best at that, of course, was Jonah.

Joeli Vidiri playing for the Blues. Photo / Getty Images.

An explanation ...

I don't mean to do Savea a disservice by that comparison, because as far as New Zealand's modern must-watch players go, it's hard to separate him and Will Jordan through two rounds of Super Rugby Pacific (especially with the country's two premier playmakers sidelined). Things happen when they get the ball. It's imperative the All Blacks build a game plan that allows those two to play to their strengths for the World Cup, in their best positions. They have the potential, surrounded by the right players to be World Cup-winning talents.

A suggestion ...

Don't judge Moana Pasifika on tonight's belated debut against the Crusaders. In fact, we probably won't see the true picture of the new side emerge this season. Coach Aaron Mauger will be looking for incremental gains and winning moments in games. Meeting the Crusaders after having your first two games canned is some sort of cruel and unusual punishment.

A question ...

What would success look like for Moana Pasifika? I'd love to see them put a couple of Kiwi sides on the back foot and give them a metaphorical bloody nose. The coming weeks will be difficult for Moana Pasifika, playing just New Zealand sides, but the lessons they learn will be valuable as they look to pick up Australian scalps later in the season. Whether they can do that will depend on just how tough the Kiwi derbies are for them.

A prediction ...

Unfortunately for Leon MacDonald, during the Blues' loss to the Hurricanes he gave us actual evidence that the cliché of a coach "tearing their hair out" can legitimately happen. His hairline remained intact, but there was video evidence he had a grab! For the Hurricanes, it's funny what the sense of belief might do — the Crusaders' 2017 title run was launched off big come-from-behind wins over the Highland-ers, Reds and Blues. When a team believes they're never out of a contest, they can achieve great things. I reckon the Canes will bottle that for the rest of the season.