Moana Pasifika head coach Tana Umaga has accused Auckland rivals the Blues of actively trying to stifle his franchise’s growth, saying bluntly: “I don’t know if they realise there’s two professional rugby teams in this city but we do know they don’t want us here.” The comments, made at Moana Pasifika’s training base ahead of Sunday’s Auckland derby at Eden Park, mark the latest escalation in an uneasy relationship between the two Super Rugby Pacific clubs.
Umaga, who earlier dismissed suggestions he was being lined up for a role in new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie’s regime as “speculation”, said his frustrations go beyond on-field rivalry. He outlined a series of off-field constraints that he says have hampered Moana Pasifika’s ability to establish itself in Auckland since its inception in 2020. The franchise was effectively forced out of Mount Smart Stadium and now uses North Harbour Stadium as its home, where it won four of five matches last season — yet Umaga says they are restricted to just five fixtures a year at that venue.
The coach also revealed plans to take a home match to Tonga collapsed because of a lack of sponsorship, and confirmed Rotorua will instead host their round nine match against the Chiefs. Umaga said attempts to find alternative New Zealand venues have been met with resistance. He claimed the Northland union immediately offered to host the team when the Tonga game fell through, only to be prevented from doing so by the Blues, who he alleges told Moana Pasifika the area was inside their region. He added that even games at Pukekohe — traditionally in Chiefs territory — have been contested by the Blues on the basis they fall inside “our super city” boundary.
“When our game against Tonga didn’t go through, straight away we had the Northland union say ‘hey we’d love to have you up here’ — which they have numerous times — and the Blues said ‘no, that’s in our region. No, you can’t go up there,’” Umaga said. “They want to see us not do well, not thrive. I struggle with that. When rugby is at a place … I struggle with the narrative they came out with last year when they said they believe they represent the Pacific. Well, the Pacific team is here.”
The Blues responded by acknowledging Umaga’s right to an opinion but suggesting the coach may be stoking the rivalry ahead of the Eden Park clash. Blues chief executive Karl Budge told 1News: “Tana was one of my idols growing up and I have a huge amount of respect for him as a player and a coach, and he is entitled to his opinions. I think this is Tana trying to create a bit of extra spice against their cross-town rivals ahead of our game on Sunday.” Budge added the two clubs had “worked closely together to promote the game” and encouraged fans of both sides to support the fixture.
Umaga’s relationship with the Blues carries extra weight given he is a former Blues head coach and that New Zealand Rugby, the Blues’ governing body, would be the potential employer if his name is in All Blacks coaching discussions. His public distancing from the Rennie link came at the same press opportunity; when prompted by 1News reporter Scotty Stevenson he described such talk as speculation and moved quickly to address his concerns about the Blues.
A franchise representative quietly brought the press conference to a close after Umaga’s remarks, underlining how sensitive the issue has become. The accusations add a fresh off-field dimension to what promises to be a fiercely contested Eden Park derby on Sunday, with Moana Pasifika intent on using the fixture to assert their place in Auckland’s rugby landscape.
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