Tries flow, fans don’t: Why can’t Super Rugby Pacific match the Wahs’ crowds?

Thursday, 19 March 2026

ANALYSIS: Tana Umaga, according to those who played alongside him or have been in teams he's coached, can silence a room by simply opening his mouth to allow a few words of wisdom to escape.

So when Umaga, who coaches Moana Pasifika and is tipped to join All Blacks coach Dave Rennie's staff through to 2027 World Cup, warned rugby's stakeholders to not be complacent, it made sense to listen.

When reflecting on the Six Nations clash between France and England last Sunday, a belter of a game that produced 13 tries, Umaga noted a comment by French defence coach Shaun Edwards.

'He said 'it was a bit like Super Rugby' like it's a bad thing,'' former All Blacks captain Umaga said in reference to the number of tries scored in Paris.

'They've obviously taken that on board because there were a lot more tries this weekend, than last weekend.''

Umaga went on to state 'the state of the game is what we've got to look at, and what's best for our game''.

'It's a tough old market there at the moment.''

Super Rugby Pacific is a good product. But it's not compelling enough to fill stadiums in New Zealand. Not even for traditional derby games.

It can't be said those running the tournament haven't been proactive in trying to make matches more entertaining.

Reducing interference from the TMOs (the Six Nations' fixtures have been hampered by this), and ensuring the ball is in play for longer periods, has been a priority in Super Rugby Pacific.

There's been a number of decent matches in the first five rounds.

The Fijian Drua, for example, recovered from a woeful start when they lost to Moana Pasifika in their opening game in Lautoka to upset the Hurricanes at the same venue a fortnight later.

The Drua also rolled the Brumbies in Ba, about 40km from Lautoka, last weekend. The big crowds at the matches in Fiji, which are played in smaller venues compared to the larger arenas in New Zealand, are boisterous. That adds to the occasion.

In New Zealand the crowds have been okay. But it's impossible to miss the rows of empty seats.

The South Island derby between the Crusaders and Highlanders in Christchurch last weekend drew a crowd of around 15,000 people at Apollo Projects Stadium, which meant a couple of thousand tickets remained unsold.

A similar number of fans attended the clash between the Blues and Moana Pasifika at the cavernous Eden Park in Auckland which meant tens of thousands seats were unfilled.

That would be a cop out.

In the same conversation about the challenging market for rugby, Umaga raised the subject of the Warriors.

'From a rugby standpoint, what the NRL is doing … you see the Warriors and the last couple of weekends with the crowds they're getting, and what they're doing in terms of their fans with participation.

'We can't be complacent in rugby, especially in this country from where the game is going.

'We have to make sure our product that we're putting out there is what people want to see. Maybe it is tries. It's not great for a defensive coach, but it makes you work a bit harder to see how we can stop points from being scored.''

There have been terrific tries scored in Super Rugby Pacific, from teams in New Zealand and beyond, but when it comes to entertainment the big winners in this category are the Warriors.

Last Friday night, when the Warriors hosted the Raiders in the NRL match at Go Media Stadium in Auckland, around 23,000 people braved the rain.

Watching the Warriors win against the Raiders was a rollicking ride; the home side played well with a sloppy ball, and when the Wahs win you know the supporters - the best of any sporting club team in New Zealand - are going to break into song after fulltime.

Even for those of us watching on TV, it looks like fun.

So more can be done to woo spectators to games in New Zealand?

The first point to make is that the rugby administrators shouldn't respond to the subject of Warriors' superior crowd figures by pointing out they're the only NRL team in this country.

The counterargument to that would be to say rugby has been considered the national game for well over a century. They've had a head start.

Here's an idea.

If NZ Rugby could work out a plan for more All Blacks to be involved in Super Rugby Pacific from the first round, it would create more hype.

Managing the All Blacks workload is important, but when fans look down the team sheet and see the likes of Beauden Barrett has been instructed to steer clear from the Blues until the fourth round it's not a good look.

The All Blacks 'rest'' weeks are hard to stomach.

Especially when the Crusaders rested Will Jordan (having initially said he was banged-up from the previous game against the Chiefs) from the Blues fixture in Auckland on March 7. That has always been a blockbuster on the calendar. Jordan, it turned out, had attended his brother's wedding.

Opinions on this issue may vary but you can't blame Jordan for wanting to attend such an important event.

But it came at a cost for the Crusaders, and it has to be said, the credibility of the competition.

Are the All Blacks doing the New Zealand public any favours by playing more tests in the United States?

No.

The decision to ship the All Blacks to Baltimore to meet the Springboks on September 13 (NZT) will be lucrative for NZ Rugby and their South African counterparts, and expose both brands to the US market, but it's not doing the average Kiwi punter any favours.

If NZ Rugby says there are already plenty of other countries on the 2026 test calendar, and that the Springboks will play in New Zealand in future seasons, they're missing the point.

The risk of alienating fans shouldn't be underestimated. Because if they stray from the game, they may not return.

Back to Super Rugby Pacific - what will be the best games this weekend?

You could pick two.

While the Hurricanes, who will have Ruben Love starting at No 10 for the first time this season, should be too hot for the Highlanders to handle in Dunedin on Friday night, there's a lot to like about this one.

The Highlanders, who have been proactive in getting students to attend games at Forsyth Barr Stadium, would have been disappointed Jamie Joseph missed out on the All Blacks coaching job.

But, now that the dust has settled on that issue, they must be secretly pleased.

With Joseph contracted through to the end of next season, the organisation and players have clarity. They can only hope that seeps through to their performance on the field, especially the lineout.

The set-piece has been troublesome.

The Brumbies-Chiefs clash at GIO Stadium in Canberra, to be played later on Friday evening, could provide vital for both teams.

It would be foolhardy to bet against them potentially clashing in the semis or final.

This is a chance to not only earn important competition points, but to draw first blood.

Just don’t expect to see the Full House sign erected at either venue.