Chiefs v Moana Pasifika
Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 24 May
FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
It feels appropriate that New Zealand's two most talked about players face off against each other this weekend, after a week when both have been creating headlines. Wallace Sititi, fresh off an earlier than expected return from injury and commitment to NZ Rugby and the Chiefs for the next two years. The comparisons to Sir Michael Jones are becoming more and more frequent, with Sititi's freakish abilities on both sides of the ball able to be showcased with even the briefest of appearances from the bench.
Meanwhile, Ardie Savea is very much the present, named Super Rugby Pacific's player of the year thanks to a string of performances this season that are leaving even the most seasoned fans shaking their heads in disbelief. Savea's workrate at his new Moana Pasifika team has been incredible, not only lifting his own game but virtually all of his team mates.
Sititi represents the future of the All Blacks, Savea has sparked conversations about how he is the best player in world, and now the two meet on the rugby field for the first time this season.
Ardie Savea and Wallace Sititi with the Bledisloe Cup after the All Blacks beat the Australian Wallabies at Accor Stadium in Sydney. 21 September 2024. Photo: Photosport / James Gourley
If that all sounds like a heavyweight boxing buildup, it's because this is about the closest we can get regarding a Super Rugby Pacific match. Unlike the pugilistic environment though, both men were keen to talk each other up.
"You can only wish to contain, I guess," said Sititi when asked how he would handle the challenge.
"There's no stopping Ardie… whether I'm going to get to go up against him or playing with him, he's one of the best ever."
Meanwhile, Savea kept his game face on and kept it short.
"We're really good mates off the field. But I think once we cross the white line, game on."
That's not to say that Savea isn't a big fan of Sititi, last year saying "he's been inspiring" when it was becoming apparent that the youngster was clearly on the road to stardom.
"He's come into (the All Blacks) with so much calmness and even wisdom…he's inspiring me with the way he walks and plays," Savea said in Sydney before the year's first Bledisloe Cup test.
Chiefs forward Wallace Sititi in action during their Super Rugby Pacific semi-final against the Hurricanes. Photo: photosport
Of course, this is one battle inside a very important game for both the Chiefs and Moana. A win for the home team will send them back up to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific ladder, while if Moana can pull the upset, it'll guarantee them of a first ever play-off spot.
It'll also mean that Tana Umaga's side would've beaten every NZ Super Rugby team, a feat that would've been labelled unthinkable before this season began.
"It hasn't been talked about much," said Savea about the potential milestone.
"With this team, it doesn't matter how we win. I've been part of teams where when you win, it feels like a loss. We're here, we're grateful and we're blessed so every win is special."
