Ardie Savea’s Future in Super Rugby Pacific
Jeff Wilson, a former All Blacks player, believes that New Zealand teams will not engage in a bidding war for the services of Ardie Savea ahead of the next Super Rugby Pacific season. The All Blacks back-rower was initially set to rejoin Moana Pasifika after his stint with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Japan, as per his New Zealand Rugby contract that runs until the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
However, Savea is now looking for an alternative destination following the news of Moana Pasifika’s disbandment at the end of the current Super Rugby Pacific season. This development has left several Pasifika players, including Savea and captain Miracle Fai’ilagi, needing to find new clubs. According to former All Blacks fly-half Stephen Donald, these two players are in a strong position.
“Those two players have got no stress,” Donald said on Sky Sport’s Breakdown show. “They will have every team in the world asking about their availability. It’s the guys who are in the reserves and stuff like that. It’s the not-so-big-name players who are going to be stressing a lot more at the moment. Clearly, Ardie is going to end up at a New Zealand franchise next year.”
The Impact of Savea’s Decision
Wilson highlighted the challenges of predicting where Savea will end up. “That’s probably the hardest question for anybody to answer,” he said. “You’ve got to look at the impact he could have, and I’d imagine next year he’ll probably be on a minutes restriction with it being a World Cup year. So how many games is he actually going to play?”
The financial struggles of Moana Pasifika played a significant role in their disbandment. Crippling financial pressure led to the club’s demise after they stopped receiving funding from World Rugby. Their owners, the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA), were unable to sustain the team beyond the current season, with their finances already compromised.
Savea’s salary was set to be compensated by a third-party, with reports indicating that Moana managed to outbid the Hurricanes when Savea signed a new deal with NZ Rugby in 2024. However, the financial situation of the Super Rugby clubs in New Zealand remains uncertain, with many teams hesitant to commit to high-profile signings.
Why There Won’t Be a Bidding War
Wilson believes that there won’t be a bidding war for Savea’s services because New Zealand teams simply don’t have the money to pay a premium for the loose forward. He also pointed out that Savea may be on limited minutes in preparation for the World Cup, which could affect his playing time.
“The one thing that no one’s going to get into is a bidding war because no one’s got any money; that’s the reality,” Wilson said. “Ardie has got to make a decision about what’s going to be in the best interests of him and the team he goes to, and how he fits in. But also, what is it going to help him do in terms of preparation for a Rugby World Cup? It’s a really important decision because we know how impactful he can be. But there’s a lot of established loose forward trios out there.”
The Possibility of a Return to the Hurricanes
Despite the uncertainty, some speculate that Savea might return to the Hurricanes. However, Wilson believes this is unlikely. “I literally have no idea. I’d be straight guessing,” he added when pressed about which club Savea could join.
With Hoksins Sotutu joining the Newcastle Red Bulls and Dalton Papali’i heading to French club Castres, the Blues could be in the market for a world-class loose forward ahead of the 2027 campaign. A return to the Hurricanes looks unlikely, considering that they didn’t have the finances to match Moana’s offer in 2024, while the Wellington club already has a plethora of talented loose forwards on its books.
“I’m telling you, the Super Rugby franchises aren’t flush with money,” Wilson added. “You can’t keep going to a well and then all of a sudden, you get under this guise of will he play every game? How much of an influence will he have? Could you get other players that you’re looking at with that sort of investment? I get it, it’s a big conversation, but I think there’s a lot in play here. The Hurricanes have already indicated that they are not sure they’d be ready for him to go back there. They’ve got Du’Plessis Kirifi, Peter Lakai, and Brayden Iose. They’ve got some very good players and talented players coming through, and what does it do for your team when you go running and grab Ardie? That’s a big conversation.”
