"Tana Umaga fears the region's talent will gravitate to league and derail the Tongan and Samoan Test sides without a Super Rugby presence. The Super Rugby Pacific franchise is set to be disbanded after ownership confirmed it would not continue funding the unviable operation beyond this season."
"The gap between where we [Samoa and Tonga] are currently, internationally, to where we need to get to, is very big. Without Moana to bridge that gap, it's going to be tough."
"A professional environment created by us; that means a lot. We understand why we're here and for people that look like us, have our background, that's important."
Tana Umaga expresses concern over the potential disbandment of Moana Pasifika, which could lead to Tongan and Samoan talent gravitating towards league. The Super Rugby franchise, designed to represent Samoa, Tonga, and the Cook Islands, has struggled financially and has not established a strong presence in the region. With many emerging players on the Moana Pasifika roster, the absence of the franchise could widen the gap for the Samoan and Tongan Test teams, making it difficult for them to compete internationally.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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