D'Arcy Waldegrave: The good outweighs the bad for Ardie Savea to Moana Pasifika

The All Sport Breakfast

Gotta love Ardie Savea’s decision to move to Moana Pasifika for the next Super Rugby season, if indeed it pans out. NZ Herald rugby scribe Liam Napier rarely misses the mark, so the story around the move released yesterday will most likely be on point.

The move does raise some questions and it can be seen as a backward step by one of the game’s elite, for me though, the positives outweigh the negatives.

The biggest issue is how such a transfer could affect the standard of his game. No longer surrounded by high quality athletes, his presence on the field and game breaking ability may be curtailed under the weight of holding the team together. This is valid to a degree but I'm more inclined to think that he would grow and flourish under that pressure, his leadership and mana coming to the fore and his already outstanding application increasing its breadth.

The effect this would have on a franchise that is being hammered by a lack of home ground and sub-optimal results is palpable.

Not only would his presence bring eyeballs to the screens, sponsors to the team and bums to seats (wherever the seats are), but players would also be encouraged to set up shop at the shaky club.

It’s not the panacea to all their ailments, and shouldn't be seen as such, but the relocation of an athlete of his standing would be a massive shot in the arm.
If indeed this does happen, the emphasis now must be on securing Moana a home ground to call their own and build on what will be one of the shock player moves in Super rugby history.

Pukekohe is the obvious choice, just don’t schedule a match on Friday night, or the fan base won't be in the stands, they’ll be listening to the game on the car radio, stuck in the endless snake of traffic that curses the Southern motorway.

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