Moana Pasifika players halfback Johnathan Taumateine (left) and winger Lalomilo Lalomilo at the Moana Pasifika training, North Harbour Stadium on Thursday. Photo: Grace Fiavaai Photo: Grace Fiavaai/RNZ Pacific
Pre-season training is always tough for any sports team but particularly over the Christmas holidays.
It's no different for Moana Pasifika, who have been training hard over the past two months as they prepare for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.
Head coach Fa'alogo Tana Umaga believed the side would be well-prepared after all the hard work.
Umaga fronted the media at the team's new North Harbour Stadium home on Thursday.
While much of the media interest at the event was on All Black star Ardie Savea, Umaga said the team was excited about the season ahead.
He said the players were in better condition than they were at the same time last year.
"[They have] been good actually," he said. "Every year the players have improved.
"Obviously it's a better understanding of what's required. ... Don't come in [to the pre-season] to get fit, come in to get better.
"There's a lot of onus on them to do some work before they get here and I think 90 percent of them have done that and just a few of them are still getting it done."
Umaga has some of the best minds in the game helping him out, with former Manu Samoa head coach Vaovasamanaia Seilala Mapusua, winning NPC champion coach Alando Soakai and former Welsh Test player Stephen Jones in his coaching team.
Their combined effort in the past two months have driven the players to tick all the boxes as their team-bonding and fitness levels improve.
Umaga said things looked promising for Moana Pasifika, with a new home base and a good mix of players in the squad.
Savea, currently on All Blacks leave, spent a day with the side this week, and Umaga said the experience was awesome for the team.
He said the coaching staff knew the team would lift its performances with the 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year in the squad.
"His presence lifted the players," Umaga said. "That's the aura that he has on our group and they were rubbing shoulders with him. There was a bit of intensity that came through.
"We knew that's what we would get, having Ardie come on board, and that has really lifted our players."
ana Umaga facing the media at the North Harbour Stadium on Thursday. Photo: Grace Fiavaai Photo: Grace Fiavaai/RNZ Pacific
Umaga said the mix of players, with Savea joining current Manu Samoa and 'Ikale Tahi representatives who have been part of the team since day one as well as several new players, was good for the side.
"It's very important that we have people who have been here from the start," he said.
"But they have had to work hard to earn their place. ... The ones we have brought on we have tried to build on and hopefully enhance the group. And some of the players we have have got a lot of experience.
"We have some good young players and it's that balance around how we mould it all together."
Umaga said having a home base meant a lot for the team and they were looking forward to getting fans to support them next year.
Meanhile, halfback Johnathan Taumateine believed Moana Pasifika was on the right track to do well in 2025 and beyond.
Having been with the franchise since its inception in 2022, Taumateine said the hard work they were doing in their pre-season training should put them in good standing by series kick-off in February.
"It has been good. I think the positive thing for me is being able to see the team grow," he said.
"Obviously we didn't do too great in the first two years but we are heading in the right direction, with the coaching staff and some exceptional players.
"It's very important we take in all the learnings now."
Winger Lalomilo Lalomilo said he was excited to be part of the Moana Pasifika pre-season program, as he eyed his debut with the side in 2025.
Having been sidelined with injuries in 2024, the nippy Samoan winger said he was focused on being fit and ready to play for the side, aiming to get into the match-day 23.
"It has been tough but the boys have fronted up," Lalomilo said.
"For me it's just getting into the match-day 23 in the first game, and that is my goal.
"I was supposed to debut last year but was injured, so I am looking forward to getting some game time."
Moana Pasifika will host the Otago Highlanders on 15 January at their new home ground and travel to play Western Force on 15 February in the first round of the Super Rugby competition.
The team claimed four wins in 2024 - the first time it was able to achieve that.
