Ardie Savea answers All Blacks question after being ‘riled up’ by ‘disrespectful’ critics of Moana move
All Blacks number eight Ardie Savea in action at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Ardie Savea has hit back at those who have suggested that his switch to Moana Pasifika could affect his All Blacks performances.
The current World Rugby Player of the Year will make the move to Moana ahead of the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.
It caught observers by surprise given that he is leaving one of the league’s better teams, the Hurricanes, to go to a side that have struggled since their inception in 2020.
Pasifika finished at the bottom of the table in their first two seasons and, although they improved in 2024, the team could only secure four victories in 14 games.
Criticism
Critics, such as Sir John Kirwan, have suggested that joining the Auckland-based franchise could negatively impact his All Blacks career.
It is a question Savea asked himself as the superstar back-row weighed up the decision to switch teams, but the conclusion he came to was categorical.
“It’s crazy you mentioned it because that’s one of the biggest discussion points that I’ve had in my journey and my process was, is Moana a good enough club for me in terms of high performance?” the number eight told The Morning Shift.
“Will I come out of the Moana season being a better player or a player that’s gone backwards?
“My heart and my belief is that it doesn’t matter what quality there is. (It’s about) the discipline and the standard within me. If I go there and think I’m going to relax, then I’m going to go backwards.
“I’m going to go there and I’m going to try and push myself, push my teammates, they’re going to push me.”
Savea concedes that there is a scenario where his Test performances drop off from 2025 onwards but that it won’t be down to this decision.
“Who knows? I can never tell the future. I might turn up and not be a good All Black but I don’t think it’s because of Moana, it will be mainly for myself,” he said.
“That’s been one of the biggest risks of signing with Moana, according to some people, but that’s a great challenge and that’s something that ignites a fire within myself and I just see it as a disrespect to the Moana Pasifika team.
“For the brothers that are listening in the team, what an awesome motivation to hold. People, organisations telling you that I’m going to be a worse off player playing at Moana when I go to the All Blacks, that just riles me up because it’s doubting my people, it’s doubting the players in the team.”
Heritage
Savea has already revealed that a key reason for his move to Moana was his Samoan ancestry. The 30-year-old wanted to honour that legacy, looking to give back to the nation of his parents’ birth, and he hopes that his time at the franchise can provide a positive impact.
“Success is that Moana is in a better place, in a better position than when I first came in,” he added.
“Success for me is if one of the brothers at Moana came up to me and just said, ‘Thank you for helping me in the journey, thank you for helping me for my rugby.’ That’s a win for me.
“I don’t follow titles, I follow courage. I think that’s the biggest thing, just having influence and impact in people’s lives and at the same time I’ve grown and learned.”
READ MORE: All Blacks legend: Ardie Savea signing to have ‘tsunami effect’ for Moana Pasifika
