Rugby union’s Pacific heartlands threatened by NRL spree after Moana Pasifika’s collapse

Moana Pasifika, the Super Rugby Pacific franchise, has been declared unviable by its majority owner, the Pasifika Medical Association, raising fears about the future of rugby union in Samoa and Tonga. The NRL is reported to have a $240 million war-chest to expand its presence in the Pacific, and soft-power politics surrounding this investment could draw players and talent away from rugby union. The situation leaves Pacific Island rugby uniquely vulnerable, threatening the sport's established heartlands in the region.