A consortium featuring former All Blacks has come out swinging at the current ownership group of Moana Pasifika, claiming its bid to save the struggling Super Rugby Pacific is being blocked by the franchise’s owners.
Last month it was announced that the Albany-based franchise would “disband” at the end ofthe current season unless a new ownership group was found and was willing to take on the estimated $10 million of annual operating costs.
Kanaloa Rugby says it has the money and resources to take over the franchise’s licence, with chief executive Tracy Atiga claiming Kanaloa’s bid to put up $15m – including debt settlements – is being ignored by Moana Pasifika’s owners.
The consortium was established with the aim of creating a professional franchise representing Pacific Island communities on the global stage and has the backing of former All Blacks Jerome Kaino, Joe Rokocoko, John Afoa, Anthony Tuitavake, Ben Atiga, Sam Tuitupou and Benson Stanley, while Tracy Atiga is a former Samoan women’s international.
With time running out as Moana have just three games remaining this season – and Super Rugby officials desperate to finalise plans for the 2027 season – Atiga says Kanaloa is ready to take over but she claims current Moana Pasifika boss Debbie Sorensen is ignoring them.
Atiga said on Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking Breakfast that politics are at play between Kanaloa Rugby, the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) – Moana’s owners – and New Zealand Rugby Players Association (NZRPA) boss Rob Nichol.
“What we have heard and what we’ve learned over the last couple of weeks is that this has all been sitting with the current chief executive Debbie Sorensen and there’s been very little visibility at the high end,” Atiga said.
“In my discussions with people who are involved in that group, it seems that our offer never got past Debbie and we would like to see that in the hands of the directors of the company so that they can see, there’s a lot of risks to them with the money that’s owed to the Government through taxpayer funding for this outfit.
“That is something that should be taken care of, it shouldn’t be pushed to the side and if you’ve got a consortium like us that have been around for 22 years, you should be at least agreeing to meet with that group.”
Atiga told Hosking her frustrations began when Kanaloa missed out on a Super Rugby licence, when at the last moment Moana Pasifika – who didn’t participate in the formal tender process – were successful.
That led Kanaloa Rugby to explore Hawaii as an option to join Major League Rugby in the US, although several roadblocks were encountered, and the competition is also struggling.
Last year, Kanaloa Rugby put forward its proposal to buy Moana Pasifika but Atiga told Hosking she received a response from Deloitte in December informing Kanaloa that PMA would not proceed with its bid, with no reasons given.
Tracy Atiga during her rugby days playing for Samoa. Photo / Photosport
Atiga said the other unions in the Pacific are preparing letters of endorsements to support their bids, adding that the people currently in charge are “holding the fort to protect their own necks”.
“We had the endorsement of the Pacific Island Nations Rugby Unions at the time, all of them,” Atiga said.
“We met those conditions and then all of a sudden there was this new condition that came on where New Zealand Rugby Players Association had to endorse it and you had to get government support.
“At the time, we rattled a few people by coming out vocal and expressing our concern about the bidding process and the dodginess of it all, but I think New Zealand Rugby Union have come round, they’ve come full circle and they’ve offered us an opportunity.
“We have a small window. We are trying to get this proposal to them with the approval of PMA and NZRPA. It’s going to be tough because they are parties that won’t talk to us.”
Sorrensen and Nichol have both been approached for comment.
