Moana Pasifika defeated the Blues 27-21 in front of their biggest home crowd ever at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday night.
The cross-town battle that had everyone on the edge of their seat in the final moments, as captain Ardie Savea won the ball and led his side to history once again.
Here are some highlights from the incredible match.
Taumoefolau hat-trick
At this point we’re not even surprised by Kyren Taumoefolau. He was a standout scoring all three of Moana Pasifika’s tries. One of them came after a stunning chip and chase down the sideline, with Beauden Barrett and Caleb Clarke trying to stop the young winger from getting across the line.
Taumoefolau was heavily involved throughout the match, making the most of all his opportunities.
Biggest crowd ever
Over 12,000 fans packed out the stadium, making for a thrilling atmosphere. There were fire towers, there were flags, creative signs and chanting. The Open Air Stadium was also made available for the first time this season to accomodate the crowd.
The vibes were perfect for Moana Pasifika’s final home game at its new fortress on the North Shore, and a taste of what’s to come in the future.
Ardie Savea brilliance
Ardie Savea’s individual brilliance is evident. But his ability to use his talents and work ethic to also inspire others around him is amazing.
He was a menace on both sides of the ball, recording 19 carries, four offloads, two linebreaks, won three turnovers and beat 8 defenders. The recently crowned Super Rugby Pacific player of the year was everywhere showcasing his versatile skillset.
Moana Pasifika move closer to first playoff appearance
Moana Pasifika’s win over the Blues gives them a greater chance of finishing in the top six position for the first time in club history. The next two games against the Chiefs this Saturday and the Hurricanes next week will be crucial to their playoff hopes.
Getting to this point hasn’t come without some challenges throughout the years. Head coach Fa’alogo Tana Umaga has instilled in the team from the beginning the desire to strive for excellence and do what has never been done.
It will be exciting to see how the next few weeks go for the team.
What the teams said about the match
Moana Pasifika head coach, Fa’alogo Tana Umaga
“We had a lot of belief this week and prepared really well. We’ve just been building throughout the season. We knew these (last) three games were going to be tough for us but our leadership group really stepped up. Our skip led us today and it was pretty outstanding. Our guys have really grown from the start of the season to now. We’ve got to keep going.”
Blues head coach, Vern Cotter
“When you finish five metres from the line and have an opportunity to take the win, I thought it was going to be our night where we’d get one by one point. As it turned out we just weren’t efficient enough five metres from the line.”
ENDS
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