Moana Pasifika are pleased to announce the re-signing of halfbacks Jonathan Taumateine and Ereatara Enari for 2024. The Manu Samoa teammates have been instrumental to the on and off-field identity of Moana Pasifika since the team’s inception.
Entering his sixth year of Super Rugby Pacific, and his third for Moana Pasifika, Taumateineharnesses a unique skillset ranging from exciting playmaking abilities to physical dominance not often seen in halfbacks. Hailing from the villages of Nofoali’i and Satapuala, Taumateineis a proud son of Samoa, and has represented the Manu Samoa since 2021.
The 26-year-old made his Super Rugby debut with the Gallagher Chiefs in 2017 before moving on to the Hurricanes in 2020. The Wesley College old boy set himself apart from fellow halfbacks with his signature physicality, which saw him get his first-class opportunityrepresenting both the New Zealand and Samoa at the World Rugby Under 20 Championship.
Like Taumateine, Ereatara Enari also made his Super Rugby debut in 2017 for the Crusaders after an impressive campaign with the New Zealand Under 20s team that last won the title.Enari was with the title-winnings side when they clinched their titles in 2019, 2020, and 2021. With a polished passing and kicking game, and sound decision-making, Enari is a proficient scrumhalf that excels in structured and broken play.
With ancestral ties to the villages of Nofoali’i and Vaiala in Samoa as well as Rongowhakaataand Te Aitanga A Mahaki in Aoteraoa, Enari is proud to represent both his Samoan and Māori roots under the Moana Pasifika banner.
With the Rugby World Cup 2023 currently underway, both Taumateine and Enari have been selected for the Manu Samoa in what is touted to be one of their strongest teams to date.
ENDS.
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