, April 29 -- Pacific peoples are central to the imagery, emotion, and labour of rugby, but remain peripheral to the real centres of power and authority

By Caleb Marsters

News that Moana Pasifika ends at the end of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season has come as a punch to rugby and left the Pacific community reeling. The franchise mattered because among other things, it gave Pacific people more than a team to support. It gave Pacific communities a glimpse of institutional presence. It's loss demonstrates, once again, that though we may be visible everywhere Pacific peoples have yet to control the conditions of that visibility or success.

That is important. Pacific peoples have always been present in elite rugby, and sustained the game...