Jason Pine: Sportstalk host on Ardie Savea moving to Moana Pasifika next year

It appears All Blacks vice captain Ardie Savea will have the option of a second sabbatical from Super Rugby in 2026.

Savea will move to Moana Pasifika next year as part of a new three-year deal with New Zealand Rugby until 2027.

Sportstalk host Jason Pine unpacks this new development.

LSITEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jason pine is with us right now, have Piney? Piney?

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Hello Heather, Yeah, no, Piney.

Speaker 1 (00:10):
It's literally my fault. I was just saying to the
producers that, and I've been away for one week and
I've forgotten which buttons to priest, and then I forgot
that I had to actually put you on like I
had to answer the phone. So anyway, thank you for
dealing with me.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Hello Piney, Hello Heather.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
How good is the news that Ardie Save is going
to Moana PACIFICA.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
Yeah. I think this is a win for everybody really,
apart from perhaps the Hurricanes who would love to have
had Artie's services. I mean what team in the world
would not, But you look at what it'll do for
a PACIFICA first of all, I mean, what a boost
for them on and off the field. For the competition.
It gives you another competitive team, plus a great storyline.
And then as far as Artie's concerned, I mean, he's

(00:52):
been deeply connected to his PACIFICA culture for a while now,
so he gets the opportunity to scratch that, which as
well he stays eligible for the All Black I don't
really see and other players will now be I'm sure
tempted to follow his lead to Winder Pacifica as well,
which will only strengthen them further. I really can't see
a downside to any of this.

Speaker 1 (01:12):
Well, no, I think you're right. I mean, he's got
perfectly good replacements at the Hurricanes. Is my Wana Pacifica
sitting at the bottom of the table.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yeah, They've rarely been very, very hard to get them behind,
shall we say, in terms of their results over the
very short history that I've had, they just haven't been
able to find anything like the Fiji and Drawer have
by comparison. They've found ways to win matches, particularly at home,
Wheer Pacifica have been nearer the bottom than the top
and out of the playoff spots for their entires.

Speaker 1 (01:40):
But here's the problem. There is a potential downside to this,
which is that when you play with the best, you
lift your game, right, So if he's not playing with
the best team, his game may suffer.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
Oh well, I guess I want to say to that,
is he spent the last six months or the first
six months of this year in Japan playing with teams
with you know, with all due respect, wouldn't have been
anywhere near the strength of super rugby over there, and
he doesn't seem to have lost a heck of a
lot coming back into a black jersey, So I think
he'll lift those around and rather than be dragged down
to the level if you know what, Yeah, that's fair enough.

Speaker 1 (02:11):
Hey, listen, what's going on with the worry? Is the
top eight of possibility?

Speaker 2 (02:13):
Now?

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Was this over?

Speaker 2 (02:15):
Are we talking mathematical possibilities now? Aren't we? And when
we get into that sort of conversation and needing other
results to go your way, we're on a bit of
a slippery slope. They can still make it, yes they can,
but they need to win I think all of their
remaining games and have other results go their way. And
it just doesn't feel at the moment as though they've
got the wherewithal to do that. Unfortunately, now do we

(02:35):
know yet what went wrong? Well, I mean, knocking over
that kick from in front from Shanelle Harris Tavita would
have been a good start.

Speaker 1 (02:42):
I think I don't mean the game, I mean the
whole season.

Speaker 2 (02:46):
Right, Okay, Well, I guess forensic analysis will follow. They just,
you know what, it's so disappointing, heating. You know, we
were talking about this team is the top eight was
like and that was a fate of complext Anybody who
suggested the Warriors wouldn't be in the top plate this season,
well you know what do you mean? Of course they
will be. This is a non foreside, this is our year.
It's just so disappointing that we find ourselves in this situation.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
Now I agree with you Piney, Hey, thank you so much.
Appreciate your full bearings with me. It's Jason Pine sports
talk host. He'll be back seven o'clock this evening for
a show that will undoubtedly run much more smoothly than mine.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
For more from hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to
news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio