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All black people captain Ardie Savea revealed that he Blues they were the only team chasing his signature during his free agency following the collapse of Moana Pasifika.
The 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year was left without the club when Moana Pasifika’s financial problems caught up with them during the recent season, ending his career at the club after a Player of the Year-winning season in which the team agonizingly missed out on a top play-off spot.
He has one more year left New Zealand Rugby contract, the born-and-bred Wellingtonian has suddenly emerged as one of the biggest prospects in Super Rugby history, and his former Hurricanes the club, fresh off the most dominant finals win in the competition’s history, loomed as a potential landing spot.
It’s easy to assume that all five New Zealand clubs would approach the global superstar to at least test the waters, and a live stream on Savea’s YouTube channel last week gave a glimpse of those different realities as he took turns trying on all five kits as he built up to the big reveal. But it turns out the Blues didn’t win the Savea sweepstakes; they won the one horse race.
“I don’t know if I wanted to share this but only the Blues came to the table,” the 32-year-old revealed in his appearance on MORNING SHIFT This week’s podcast. “So I’m just grateful. Very, very grateful.
“I just want to give a big shout out to the Blues, Budgie (Blues chief executive Karl Budge), Alfie (Blues head coach Jason Holland); they showed love from the start. As soon as the Moana news came out, they showed love and they were the only ones.
“I’m very grateful. And I’m ready to come back with Joker (Rieko Ioane) and a few Blues legends and try to do something special.”
Savea also teased that this would be the final chapter of his career in New Zealand, labeling his one-year deal with the Blues the “last dance”, a reference to Michael 2020. Jordan documentary.
Reflecting on the latest chapters in his rugby journey, Savea said he found unparalleled fulfillment in his time with Moana Pasifika.
“If someone asked me what was the highlight of my career so far, it would be Moana. 100 percent. People ask why, and I said ‘we always started with God and ended with him,’ and I was never part of the team that actually put him at the head of everything and our culture and our heritage and understanding just that you were Pacific.
“Those guys taught me a lot – even though they think I’ve done a lot, I learned so much from them and that makes me feel like the leader and player I am today.
“It just happens Auckland is the largest Pasifika city in the world, so I just want to add to the brothers; there are great guys there, but also for learning. I’m still hungry, especially after this shoulder (injury). I’ll be back early in the year, so I’ll be hungry and ready to go.”
