Savea to take Japan sabbatical

Moana Pasifika and All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea on the run against the Highlanders in Dunedin this year.
Moana Pasifika are set to lose their inspirational leader for next season.
Ardie Savea has announced he will skip next year's Super Rugby campaign to take up a sabbatical in Japan.
The Moana Pasifika skipper will return 2027 after a one-year stint with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers in 2026.
The 31-year-old is exercising a clause included in his contract with New Zealand Rugby when he re-signed last year.
"I have so much love for what we started with Moana this year so I'm looking forward to coming back in 2027," Savea said.
"It's hard to leave, even though it's only for one season, but I'll be supporting the team from afar and will stay involved behind the scenes. This year at Moana Pasifika was the happiest I've been in my career.
"On the other hand, Japan is a special place and I love the culture and the people. It's exciting to return to a club that has given me an opportunity to have beautiful experiences on and off the field."
Savea is returning to the Japanese club he played for in 2024 and will still be eligible for All Blacks Tests when he returns midway through 2026.
"Ardie obviously goes with our blessing," said Moana Pasifika head coach Fa'alogo Tana Umaga.
"These sabbaticals are part of the modern game and we have been preparing for this for some time. We will continue to build the momentum of our movement in 2026 and work hard to grow our game so that we will be even better when he gets back to us in 2027."
Moana finished just outside the top six in 2025, beating all but one New Zealand franchise.
Savea was influential in the side's rise, his effort in the win over the Blues described as the greatest individual performance in Super Rugby history.
After announcing the mass departure of 16 players, Moana Pasifika have since signed former All Black Ngani Laumape for next season.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

RNZ News

34 minutes ago

• RNZ News

Manawatū family linked to All Blacks gives old homestead new lease on life

Romney Lane homestead is down a long driveway with extensive gardens. Photo: Brad Hanson A Manawatū family with links to rugby royalty has given their century old homestead a new lease on life. Constructed of native totara it's called Romney Lane and is the home where sheep and beef farmer Ian Strahan grew up with his All Black playing dad Sam Strahan. Lock Sam was Manawatu's 14th All Black, regularly turning out alongside Colin Meads. And like many players from his generation, training was in the paddock. Ian said the home at Kiwitea, near Feilding, lends itself nicely to agritourism due to its quiet and accessible location. There was plenty of hard graft to get there with a new kitchen installed. What Ian hadn't done was shy away from his father's legacy as a formidable lock. A collection of rare rugby books, photos and even a jersey from Sam's international career are in the homestead. He played from 1967 to 1973 which included 17 international test matches. Sam Strahan putting his lineout skills to good work against England at Twickenham in 1967. Photo: Ian said he also wanted to maintain the grand old home to a high standard. "My parents have passed on and we have a house at the other end of the farm" Ian Strahan said. "It's a beautiful old homestead tucked away in a lovely garden and setting well off the road. "We're keen to tell a story about what we do in the country and bridge that gap." The Strahan family on their sheep and beef farm at Kiwitea with their border terrier Bear. Photo: supplied Steph Strahan, who manages Romney Lane, said it had been a steep learning curve taking on visitors. She had joined an agribusiness group to pick up tips and share ideas. As a chef, she's keen to expand the catering potential and to add experiences like a farm walk and biking. Romney sheep were once the backbone of the farming operation. Photo: Brad Hanson "We're just starting out and I can see the potential for it to grow," Steph Strahan said. Visitors tell her they adore the homestead amidst the secluded garden. And recently an Australian film crew visited the property for an undisclosed project. "I'm hoping to do a little bit more in-house catering, I've been a private chef before. If we get some more international guests I'm hoping to get into that space." Steph said it was a thrill to read the guestbook and felt the enjoyment of people who came to enjoy their slice of country. And a quick dash for snacks wasn't out of the question for visitors. The local dairy is six kilometres away at Cheltenham, with cafes and a store around a 10 minute drive away at Kimbolton. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

1News

3 hours ago

• 1News

'Not sure yet' – head coach Penney won't commit to Crusaders future

Crusaders head coach Rob Penney finally has the Super Rugby championship he has craved for years but has refused to say whether he will be back to help his side defend it next season. Penney was not surprisingly in a reflective mood last night in the wake of his team's come-from-behind 16-12 grand final victory over the Chiefs to claim the Super Rugby Pacific title in a cold and damp Christchurch. The sense of relief was palpable and he could have been forgiven for feeling a sense of vindication or even redemption at the end of his second season after his first finished with his side winning only four matches in total and out of the playoffs. Penney's faith in first-five Rivez Reihana, 25, paid off handsomely as the former Chiefs player overshadowed his All Blacks opposite Damian McKenzie. And Penney and his fellow coaches watched as the Crusaders dug in for a classic Crusaders-like finals performance, helped by outstanding fullback Will Jordan, to end their time at their 'temporary' stadium with a perfect 32-0 home playoffs record. ADVERTISEMENT But, after holding on to his job last year following a review that included the hiring of an independent consultant, Penney was keeping his cards close to his chest with regards to his immediate future. It is understood that he signed a two-year contract and is therefore now off contract. Delivering a 15th title to Christchurch and the wider Crusaders region would normally be grounds to rubber stamp another year at least but Penney, who made his name as a successful coach at Canterbury but could not get a Super Rugby job in New Zealand until last season, refused to even say whether he wanted to come back. He was asked: 'Will you be back to defend the title?' 'Not sure yet,' was his reply. 'Would you like to?' 'Not sure yet.' The Crusaders players react to the final whistle in Christchurch last night. (Source: Photosport) Later, Penney was asked: 'Is there a temptation to go out on a high?' He replied: 'Well, if I answer that you're going to get the answer, aren't you?' ADVERTISEMENT It is possible that the Crusaders board have a succession plan after appointing former All Blacks assistant coach Brad Mooar as an assistant to Penney for this season but after going for continuity at the end of last year it would strike as odd to overlook him after such a triumph over the franchise's old rivals. 'I'm a small cog in the wheel,' Penney said. 'There are some wonderful people who have worked feverishly for the group and then there are the 15 lads on the field and the subs who came on plus the boys who didn't get to play and are an integral part of it. 'Last year we had some hiccups and some things that didn't go well for us. This year we've been on the other side of the ledger. We had some calls that went for us and some injured boys available a lot. Small margins. 'But at the business end the right people knew how to do the right things and that was evident today. The way Davey [Havili] and the leadership group orchestrated the game plan… I've got so much admiration for them.' Skipper Havili, almost certain to be named in Scott Robertson's All Blacks squad tomorrow, spent time off the field in the first half due to a yellow card for a head clash in a tackle and then a head injury assessment, which he passed. Consistently one of the best performers for the Crusaders this season, the midfielder was asked how he felt after winning his eighth title. 'Truly grateful,' he said. 'It takes a lot to win titles. As captain it takes a lot out of you but it makes the moment so much more enjoyable. ADVERTISEMENT Rivez Reihana kicks for the Crusaders against the Chiefs. (Source: Photosport) 'We knew we had the group to do it – the experience, the youth. We just had to believe. Throughout the year we found momentum and we're a different beast in playoffs. Once we're at home it's a tough place to play.' Havili's leadership would have contributed to such an assured performance from relative rookie Reihana in such a high-stakes match, but he said of the No.10: 'He's been doing that at training. The only thing that was keeping him out were a few niggly injuries at the start of the year. 'He just needed an opportunity and you can see what he does – he's a world-class 10. To be able to put in a performance like that against a quality Chiefs side is huge for his confidence and he's only going to get better. He's a young man with a huge future.' All sides need a bit of luck to win titles and the Crusaders got a huge slice of it when the Blues won their qualifier at Waikato Stadium to relegate the Chiefs from first seeds to second and hand home advantage in the final to the red and blacks. This will be the last such final held in the rickety stadium in Addington which was only meant to be temporary in the wake of the earthquakes but has stood for 13 years. The new covered Te Kaha stadium in the central city will operate from April next year and will likely transform the central business district. ADVERTISEMENT But Havili for one will be a little sad to have to move on. 'There's so much history here,' he said. 'Do I love it? Yeah. I've played here for 10 years. I played my first [Crusaders] game here.'

Otago Daily Times

11 hours ago

• Otago Daily Times

Penney tight-lipped on future as Crusaders coach

David Havili of the Crusaders and head coach Rob Penney celebrate after winning the Super Rugby Pacific final against the Chiefs at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch. . Crusaders coach Rob Penney refused to be drawn on his future at the team's helm after leading his side to the Super Rugby Pacific title with victory over the Chiefs on Saturday. Penney's side sealed a 16-12 win in a tense clash in Christchurch to earn the Crusaders a record-extending 15th Super Rugby title, but the 61-year-old gave no indication whether he would return for a third season in charge. "Not just yet," said Penney told a press conference after Saturday's match, when asked if he had made a decision on his future. "You wouldn't want to work anywhere else. I'm never going to work anywhere else in the industry. I'll just take time to see what falls out of the (end of season) review." The Crusaders' Super Rugby title win marked a significant turnaround after the struggles of 2024, when the team missed out on the playoffs at the end of Penney's first season in charge. Despite that failure, management decided to stick by the former Waratahs coach and Penney delivered, with the Crusaders finishing second in the regular season standings behind the Chiefs. His side then went on to extend their remarkable run of success on home soil, winning a 32nd consecutive playoff match in Christchurch to reclaim the trophy once more. "Winning's fantastic," said Penney. "Last year we had some hiccups and some things that didn't go well for us. This year we've been on the other side of the ledger. "We've had some calls that have gone for us and we've had some injured boys available a lot. Small margins. At the business end the right people know how to do the right things and that was evident today. "There's some people here that were contributing today that are going to be here for a long time, and it's just exciting what the future holds."