Talofa lava, Malo lelei’i, Bula vinaka and welcome to TEIVOVOrugby.com’s Super Rugby Pacific podcast Season 01 episode 05 – I’m Culden Kamea.

This is my weekly podcast on the Fijian Drua, Moana Pasifika and other teams in the Super Rugby Pacific 2023 competition, plus Team Fijiana of course defending their Super W title in Australia.

In Super Rugby Round 5 last weekend:
the Blues 30-17 the Force
the Rebels 40-34 the Reds
the Hurricanes 59-0 Moana Pasifika
the Highlanders 57-24 the Fijian Drua
the NSW Waratahs 14-24 the Chiefs
the Crusaders 35-17 the Brumbies

In Super W Round 1 last weekend:
the NSW Waratahs 43-0 the Force
the Rebels 0-43 the Reds
the Fijian Drua 12-7 the Brumbies

Borrowing much of this story from STUFF NZ rugby columnist, Mark Reason:

The average margin of victory for the five New Zealand Super Rugby teams last the weekend was 26. And all of them were a long way short of full strength.

One thing Super Rugby Pacific cannot hide from is that attendances are plummeting across Australia and New Zealand. That’s why crowd attendances at games are never revealed, but it’s plain to see on TV.

In contrast, NRL crowds are up this season. Over 50,000 turned up for the Brisbane derby between the Broncos and the Dolphins.

The NZ Warriors get way bigger crowds than the handful who turned up at Mount Smart to watch the Canes thump Moana Pasifika.

Further afield, the NFL in the US has just concluded a bumper regular season with 97% of seats sold, with the average crowd - wait for it - 69,389 at an average ticket price of a staggering NZ$740 per ticket.

It’s a major worry. If only the Fijian Drua can be more consistent and Moana Pasifika start winning.

In other Super Rugby news:
Crusaders and All Blacks Wing Sevu Reece will miss the rest of the 2023 rugby season, including the Rugby World Cup in France, due to a knee injury.

The 26-year-old Fijian flyer injured his knee earlier this month against the Blues at Eden Park and will undergo surgery.

Across the ditch, rugby union fans in Australia were somewhat stunned by news last Friday that Rugby Australia had signed NRL teen sensation, Joseph Sua’ali’i to switch codes and play for the New South Wales Waratahs from 2025.

The 19-year-old has penned a deal - reportedly worth A$1.6Million per season until the end of 2027 to become Australia’s highest-paid rugby player in history.

It comes ahead of the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour and the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

A$1.6M a season is a staggering amount of money to bank on one player – especially a Wing to what – beat the British & Irish Lions?

Rugby Australia has been down this road so many times before; signing the likes of Wendell Sailor, Lote Tuqiri, Marika Koroibete and more recently Suliasi Vunivalu – some of the best NRL Wings of all time!

Not sure if it was all money well spent?

Any way, watch out for Team Fijiana at 1.05pm at home in Suva on Saturday against the Melbourne Rebels, followed by the Fijian Drua at 3.35pm also at HFC Bank Stadium against the Rebels, fresh off impressive wins against the Tahs and the Reds, who have both beaten the Fijian Drua.

For TEIVOVOrugby.com, I’m Culden Kamea.

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