Ardie Savea’s future: Moana Pasifika collapse to make All Blacks star a free agent and lead to potential bidding war
Unless an unlikely white-knight backer emerges to save Moana Pasifika, Ardie Savea will be among a host of free agents to flood the market.
With the seemingly slim possibility Moana might be saved, it is perhaps somewhat premature to speculate on Savea’s future – and where the rest of the 60 players and staff might end up.
Moana have six regular-season Super Rugby Pacific matches to complete before their five-year existence is expected to conclude.
While the financial demise of the franchise remains highly sensitive, Savea’s future is immediately thrust into the spotlight.
As one of the world’s leading players and most marketable figures, every team in the world would jump at the chance to secure Savea’s services, even on a one-year deal.
Savea will return home from his second one-season stint with Japanese club Kobe in June to prepare for Dave Rennie’s maiden All Blacks campaign.
As a likely free agent next year, he could potentially attempt to negotiate a return to Kobe or another offshore club where he could earn significantly more than in New Zealand.
New Zealand Rugby, having already granted Savea two lucrative sabbaticals in his four-year contract, are likely to be reluctant to allow a third offshore stint, particularly in a World Cup year when managing player workloads is paramount.
Savea is, therefore, expected to be on the hunt for another Super Rugby team in what could be his last year in New Zealand rugby.
Wellington remains home for the Savea family. After a decade representing the Hurricanes before joining Moana, a return to the capital could be an easy fit.
The Hurricanes, though, have other pressing priorities, such as attempting to retain in-form flanker Devan Flanders amid big-money offers from Japan.
After several seasons of consistent performances, Flanders is delivering in a compelling manner that will force Rennie to strongly consider promoting him to the All Blacks for the first time – if he stays in New Zealand beyond this season.
The Hurricanes loose forwards are stacked, too, with All Blacks Du’Plessis Kirifi and Peter Lakai as well as Brayden Iose and Brad Shields on the books next year.
From a financial perspective, the Hurricanes lost $2.5 million last year, which forced the Wellington Rugby Union to sell its 50% stake in the franchise and property developer Malcolm Gillies to step in, prop up the team and take control as chairman.
In their last negotiations with Savea before he joined Moana, the Hurricanes could not meet his salary expectations, which leaves them highly unlikely to enter a bidding war to lure him home.
At this early stage, then, the Blues loom as Savea’s most likely New Zealand destination.
No formal discussions have taken place, though.
While the Blues, with their suite of commercial backers compared to other New Zealand Super teams, are best placed to table a similar Super Rugby salary to Moana that includes hefty third-party incentives, they would need to consider a range of factors before tabling an offer for Savea.
The Blues are set to farewell former All Blacks Dalton Papali’i and Hoskins Sotutu to create an opening for an experienced loose forward but so, too, are they invested in the futures of Anton Segner, this year’s breakout flanker Torian Barnes and Malachi Wrampling.
Segner recently re-signed with the Blues through to the end of next year and has been earmarked as a future captain.
Signing Savea would potentially leave Segner and Savea directly competing for the openside role, although the latter could slot in at No 8.
Wherever he goes, Savea generates widespread onfield attention and his impact with Moana last year signals his playing influence.
But the Blues, as they attempt to win back supporters in a challenging climate, must also weigh a significant one-year sugar-hit investment in Savea against long-term fan engagement plans, the possibility of luring Super Round to Auckland next year and other long-serving players seeking contract upgrades.
Savea has business interests in Auckland and his brother Julian, who also plays for Moana, lives here. Switching from Moana to the Blues for a six-month stint therefore shapes as a comfortable move.
But while the Blues sit in the box seat to sign Savea should Moana fold, it is not a clear-cut scenario.
Listen to the latest episode of Rugby Direct as Elliott Smith and Liam Napier discuss the future of Super Rugby without Moana Pasifika:
Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.