Super Rugby Pacific: Five takeaways as Ardie Savea ‘leads the way’ in Moana Pasifika defeat while Waratahs revival continues
Moana Pasifika captain Ardie Savea and Waratahs head coach Dan McKellar.
Following narrow Super Rugby Pacific victories for the Highlanders and Waratahs over Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua respectively on Friday, Planet Rugby picks out five takeaways from the thrilling action.
The top line
The first two rounds of Super Rugby Pacific provided plenty of excitement and it was no different in these matches as both results were in the balance until the closing stages.
At North Harbour Stadium in Auckland, it was a game of two halves with the Highlanders delivering a dominant performance in the opening period before Moana came back strongly after the break to provide a tense finish.
The Highlanders raced into a 10-0 lead after Nathan Hastie crossed for a try which was converted by Sam Gilbert, who also added a penalty, before Moana drew level by the 15th minute with Sione Mafile’o and William Havili crossing for tries.
However, the visitors took control of proceedings and led 31-10 at half-time after Caleb Tangitau, Tanielu Tele’a and Mitchell Dunshea also crossed for converted tries but it was a totally different matter after the break as Moana launched a stunning fightback.
Ardie Savea, Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa and Havili scored further tries with Patrick Pellegrini adding two conversions but it wasn’t enough to haul in the Highlanders, who sealed a 31-29 victory.
Meanwhile, at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, it was a topsy-turvy affair between the Waratahs and the Drua but the home side eventually sealed a 29-24 win courtesy of a penalty try in the game’s dying moments.
The Waratahs held a 17-12 lead at half-time thanks to two converted tries from Langi Gleeson while Tane Edmed also slotted a penalty with Ponipate Loganimasi and Vuate Karawalevu crossing the whitewash for the islanders as Caleb Muntz slotted one conversion.
The home side extended their lead in the 46th minute when Dave Porecki dotted down but a yellow card to Waratahs lock Miles Amatosero changed the complexion of the match as the Drua took a 24-22 lead by the 66th minute after Ponipate Loganimasi and Mesulame Dolokoto scored five-pointers.
However, there was a twist at the tale when referee Angus Mabey awarded a penalty try to the hosts – after the Drua illegally stopped a driving maul close to their try-line – and that sealed the Waratahs’ victory.
Ardie Savea makes a big impact for Moana Pasifika
Although he finished on the losing side, the All Blacks star certainly led the way for Moana as he came to the fore with an outstanding all-round performance.
Playing on the openside flank, Moana’s skipper took the fight to the Highlanders for the full 80 minutes and it’s fair to say he was desperately unlucky to finish on the losing side.
Savea was at the forefront of his side’s second-half comeback as he delivered a high work-rate at the breakdowns and on defence and emptied the tank as a ball carrier.
He eventually gained 69 attacking metres after completing 14 carries which included one clean break, three defenders beaten and crossed for a deserved try.
There was plenty of expectation from Moana supporters when it was revealed last year that the former World Rugby Player of the Year would be joining them and he certainly showed them what he is capable of with an excellent performance.
Timoci Tavatavanawai is the real deal
There was plenty of hype around the Highlanders captain after he impressed the men from Dunedin’s previous performances – against the Waratahs and Blues – with New Zealand great Justin Marshall comparing him to the legendary All Black Ma’a Nonu.
Tavatavanawai continued to do justice to that comparison as he was at the forefront of the Dunedin-based outfit’s onslaught with another strong all-round effort.
The 27-year-old led from the front as he caught the eye with great physicality on defence as he put in some big hits on his opponents and also made his presence felt at the breakdowns, winning a crucial turnover for his team late on.
It is with ball in hand that he made his biggest impact though as he shone as a playmaker and caught the eye with some strong carries.
One of the highlights of the game was when Tavatavanawai took the ball into contact with Savea stopping him in his tracks with a huge hit, although the inside centre did well to retain possession and make the ball available for his team-mates.
If he continues with his current form, he should be rewarded with an All Blacks call-up later in the year.
Waratahs a totally different team
The 2024 Super Rugby Pacific campaign was a horrific one for the Waratahs as they finished the season at the bottom of the standings with just two victories from 14 matches played but they have already matched that record after just two matches in 2025.
Last year’s form led to them parting ways with their head coach Darren Coleman, who was replaced by former Leicester Tigers and Brumbies boss Dan McKellar, who has made an immediate impact as the Sydneysiders already look like a totally different side to their 2024 version.
McKellar has a reputation for being a good forwards coach and that showed against the Drua as the Waratahs’ pack set up a good platform for their backline – especially during the early stages of that clash.
They started with an all-Wallabies front-row of Porecki, Taniela Tupou and Angus Bell and all three impressed in the execution of their core duties while Gleeson was outstanding as a ball carrier and crossed for two tries.
In the backline, captain Jake Gordon and Edmed impressed as the half-back duo while the likes of Lalakai Foketi, Max Jorgensen and Andrew Kellaway all looked dangerous with ball in hand.
Fijian flair not enough
The Fijians are renowned for their flair and that was evident throughout this match as their attacking style kept the Waratahs’ defence on their toes but it wasn’t enough to secure them a victory.
While the islanders’ entire team caught the eye with their enterprising style of play which created plenty of try-scoring opportunities, they also committed too many unforced errors which proved costly in the end.
Leading the way for the Drua were their wingers Loganimasi and Karawalevu with the former rewarded with two tries for his efforts while the latter was responsible for one of the game’s highlights when he crossed the whitewash in acrobatic fashion.
However, while the Drua brilliance on attack creates plenty of excitement, it wasn’t enough to help them over the line and they will have to improve in other areas of the game if they want to be victorious as they have now lost all three their matches in the competition – after defeats to the Brumbies and Hurricanes – all by five points or less.
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