WELLINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - New Zealand Rugby said on Monday Moana Pasifika will not compete in the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season, ending the Pacific-focused franchise's participation in the competition.
Efforts had been made to rescue the team financially after Moana Pasifika management said in a statement in April that the team would disband at the end of the season because of mounting financial pressures. It was placed into liquidation in May.
• New Zealand Rugby said in a statement it had explored every possibility for a long-term solution with several interested parties, including allowing multiple extensions to the May 15 deadline. None of the parties were able to satisfy both the capital and business plan requirements necessary to secure the licence," it said.
• New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who had been approached by a number of parties and rugby lovers seeking support for Moana Pasifika, said he was disappointed that supporters had not been given more time to find a solution and achieving a result in three weeks to secure the team's place in 2027 was "always going to be a bridge too far."
• Moana Pasifika joined Super Rugby Pacific in 2022 as one of the competition's two Pacific-based expansion franchises alongside Fijian Drua.
(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
