Moana Pasifika are edging ever closer to their debut season with the Pacific Super Rugby side taking part in their first-ever preseason hit-out on Friday against the Chiefs.
The Pacific side managed to fit the match in at their home in Mt Smart Stadium before heading south to Queenstown for the Super Rugby Pacific bubble and the start of the regular season.
Club chairman Sir Michael Jones told 1News the match may have been behind closed doors due to the current Red setting of the Covid Protection Framework, but the atmosphere was still electric at the venue.
"It's huge, it doesn't get any bigger for us because it's history in the making," Jones told 1News.
"If you think the plight of Pacific rugby, and how we want to lift particularly Tongan rugby, Samoan rugby, Pacific rugby, we believe it's only fair that at some point we reflect the true potential of who we are and what we bring to rugby.
"The gap between the haves and the have-nots has to close and Moana Pasifika is a part of that."
The match was also serving as a chance to raise funds for the support efforts in Tonga following last month's eruption and tsunami.
"The people of Tonga are very close to our hearts," he said.
"We have a very strong Tongan influence - lots of Tongan players, lots of Tongan staff - so when one part of the family feels pain, we all feel the pain.
"We've been hurting as a team."
The All Blacks great also has a personal connection to the squad, with son Niko Jones part of the outfit and playing on Friday.
"He's loving being part of this culture and something so unique.
"I think he feels really at home like all the boys - it's just about them recognising this moment in time that they can be part of a waka that we believe is going to be quite special and will add a lot of flavour to Super Rugby Pacific."
Jones and Moana Pasifika open their campaign on Friday 18 February against last year's Super Rugby Trans-Tasman champions and cross-town rivals the Blues.
SHARE ME