Moana Pasifika to host first Super Rugby game in Tonga

NEWS: Moana Pasifika will stage a Super Rugby match in Tonga for the first time in history next year in a bid to grow the sport on the island, the club said Wednesday.

Nineteen of the team's 38-man playing squad are of Tongan descent but they normally play in Auckland, where there is a large Pacific community.

They will host the Otago Highlanders on May 4 at the 10,000-capacity Teufaiva Sport Stadium in the capital Nuku'alofa.

"It's always been part of our mission to take games to the Pacific, to invest in these communities and give our fans in the Islands the chance to watch the team in their own backyard," said Moana chief executive Pelenato Sakalia.

"It shows them what's possible and allows our players to showcase their talent in front of their families."

Playmaker William Havili and a further 10 Moana players were part of Tonga's squad at the World Cup.

"We look forward to continuing to demonstrate that we can host these international games," said Tongan Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni, who is also president of the island's rugby union.

Moana, who were founded in 2020, played their first home game in the Pacific in April when they lost 28-40 to the Queensland Reds in Samoa.