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Moana Pasifika add Niuean player and experienced coach to squad

(Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Moana Pasifika have made three more signings and announced its assistant coach to head coach Aaron Mauger ahead of their debut season in Super Rugby Pacific.

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The expansion franchise announced on Friday that former All Blacks loose forward Filo Tiatia will serve as Moana Pasifika’s assistant coach.

The 50-year-old, who is of Samoan heritage and played two tests for the All Blacks in 2000, brings with him multiple years of coaching experience from all corners of the globe.

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Since retiring from his playing career that saw him turn out for the Hurricanes, Wellington, Ospreys, Toyota Verblitz and Travisium, Tiatia has coached professionally in New Zealand, Japan and Wales.

Those experiences saw him coach both Ospreys and Toyota Verblitz before joining the Sunwolves as an assistant coach in 2016 and then as head coach the year after.

During his time in Japan, Tiatia also served two stints as an assistant coach for the Brave Blossoms in 2013 and 2017, while he returned to New Zealand three years ago to sign for Auckland.

Acting as an assistant to head coach and former All Blacks midfielder Alama Ieremia, Tiatia helped guide the province to its first NPC title in over a decade in his first year with the side.

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After leaving his position with Auckland earlier this year after helping steer them to an appearance in last season’s final, Tiatia said he is excited to be part of Moana Pasifika’s inaugural Super Rugby campaign.

“We have a lot of amazing talent out there, and this team is an exciting development in professional rugby,” he said via a statement.

“I’m really motivated to be part of finding and growing future stars of the international game, and I have a strong desire to help our Pasifika players thrive and deliver exciting, and fun rugby to play and watch.

“Having a strong cultural tie to roots was an important part of my role as a player, and it has been a key part of my coaching style.

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“Covid has really changed our landscape and preparation time, but I see that as a great opportunity to be innovative and think differently about how we prepare to hit the ground running.”

Mauger is similarly optimistic about the knowledge Tiatia can impart on the Moana Pasifika squad in its first season of existence.

“Filo is a proud Samoan who has been around professional rugby teams for over 30 years. He knows what a good rugby team looks like, he knows the challenges, knows what success looks like and he knows what we need on the field,” Mauger said.

“His knowledge and skills as a coach, and his work ethic are incredible. Like many of the people involved in our programme, his heart is that of a proud Pasifika man who cares deeply about being part of this special team.”

News of Moana Pasifika’s acquisition of Tiatia comes a day after it announced the signing of three more players to its growing playing squad, including the franchise’s first player of Niuean background.

On Thursday, Moana Pasifika confirmed the signings of Counties Manukau trio Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Sam Slade and Alex McRobbie.

A young lock in his first season with Counties Manukau after returning from a stint in Japan, McRobbie becomes the first player of Niuean heritage to sign with Moana Pasifika.

The announcement of McRobbie’s signing comes after he made his debut for Counties Manukau against North Harbour in this year’s NPC before the province was forced to withdraw from the competition due to Auckland’s ongoing Covid-19 lockdown.

The former Chiefs age-grade representative will compete for places in Moana Pasifika’s second row alongside Southland lock Mike McKee, Manawatu rookie Veikoso Poloniati and ‘Ikale Tahi international Don Lolo.

Lindenmuth, meanwhile, is a former Samoa and New Zealand U20 representative who was part of the New Zealand squad that won the World Rugby U20 Championship in Georgia four years ago.

The following year, the 24-year-old made his debut for Auckland, the same season of which the province won the NPC title under Tiatia’s stewardship as assistant coach, before joining Counties Manukau in 2020.

The Samoan-born loosehead prop made his Super Rugby debut for the Blues in 2019 and made seven appearances for the franchise before making a solitary appearance for the Chiefs during this year’s Super Rugby Aotearoa.

Lindenmuth and McRobbie will be joined at Moana Pasifika by their provincial teammate Slade, who was also Lindenmuth’s teammate in the world champion New Zealand U20 squad of 2017.

The 24-year-old utility forward has extensive NPC experience after having debuted for Auckland four years ago before joining Manawatu in 2018 and then Counties Manukau the year after that, but is yet to play at Super Rugby level.

However, Slade, who can play at either lock or flanker, has international experience to his name after having played in both World Cup qualifying tests for Manu Samoa against Tonga in July.

In the fortnight prior to that, Slade started in both of Samoa’s matches against the Maori All Blacks in Wellington and Auckland.

Confirmed Moana Pasifika signings for 2022 Super Rugby Pacific

Props: Sekope Kepu (Counties Manukau), Tau Koloamatangi (Otago), Ezekiel Lindenmuth (Counties Manukau), Isi Tu’ungafasi (Crusaders)

Hookers: Ray Niuia (Blues), Luteru Tolai (Blues)

Locks: Don Lolo (Taieri), Mike McKee (Southland), Alex McRobbie (Counties Manukau), Veikoso Poloniati (Manawatu)

Loose Forwards: Solomone Funaki (Hawke’s Bay), Lotu Inisi (North Harbour), Jack Lam (Waikato), Alamanda Motuga (Counties Manukau), Sam Slade (Counties Manukau), Henry Time-Stowers (Canterbury), Sione Tu’ipulotu (Auckland)

Halfbacks: Ereatara Enari (Crusaders)

First-Fives: Christian Leali’ifano (NTT Communications Shining Arcs), Lincoln McClutchie (Hawke’s Bay)

Midfielders: Fine Inisi (North Harbour), Henry Taefu (Western Force), Danny Toala (Hurricanes)

Outside Backs: Tomasi Alosio (Wellington), Neria Foma’i (Hawke’s Bay), Solomone Kata (Brumbies), Timoci Tavatavanawai (Tasman), Lolagi Visinia (Hurricanes)

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF 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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