Super Rugby: Ardie Savea is inspiring something incredible at Moana Pasifika

Welcome to off-field review, where we'll wrap up the Super Rugby Pacific round in hopefully quicker time than it takes the TMO to rule on foul play!

SAVEA INSPIRING PASIFIKA'S BEST SEASON YET

Something special is happening at Moana Pasifika this year, and much of it is down to the recruitment of All Blacks star and 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year Ardie Savea. The back-rower's franchise switch following his Japanese playing sabbatical raised more than a few eyebrows around New Zealand last year, but it has proven to be a masterstroke - for all parties. Savea has already spoken this year about feeling like he was "home", reunited with his brother Julian and playing alongside so many of his fellow Samoans. And he is playing astoundingly well, too, even by his own lofty standards. There are surely few forwards around the world, maybe not any, who could have scored the try he did against the Highlanders on Sunday afternoon. The left-foot grubber, regather and then the leg drive to will himself to the line was extraordinary. But Pasifika still had significant work to do win the game from there, and it took a 75th minute five-pointer from Melani Matavao, who delivered his own moment of desperation to regather a charge down and score in the corner, for Pasifika to secure their second road win of the year. And that meant another electric rendition of Moana's victory song. They are the best story of Super Rugby Pacific right now, and potentially just two more wins from a maiden playoffs berth.

SUAALII'S TACKLING AGAIN UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

The Waratahs were smashed all over GIO Stadium on Saturday night, as the Brumbies bounced back from their slip-up against the Hurricanes at the same venue a week earlier. There were few positives NSW coach Dan McKellar could take from his first game back in Canberra as an opposition coach, though Langi Gleeson - more on him shortly - and star recruit Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii certainly had their moments. The problem for the code-hopper, however, was that for every bit of good he did, it was very nearly undone by an ugly and dangerous hit on Brumbies fly-half Noah Lolesio. Midway through the second half Suaalii charged out of the defensive line in classic rugby league fashion and walloped Lolesio with his right shoulder. If there was a wrapping action in the tackle it must have been fleeting, and the Stan Sport commentary crew were left scratching their heads as to why the hit didn't warrant further inspection. What must be assumed is that the TMO did check the tackle and cleared it; there were also no citings from Round 12, meaning it was cleared of illegality once more. However, it can only have just been on the legal side, and had it been just a fraction higher then Suaalii would likely have seen his night ended early. Suaalii made a similar tackle earlier in the year and there were a couple of examples on the spring tour in his first foray back into rugby at the end of 2024. He is treading a fine line, regardless. No-one can deny his attacking threat, but defensively he remains a liability and time is fast running out to tweak his technique before the world's eyes, and more importantly those of World Rugby, are trained on the British & Irish Lions series.

GLEESON HAS EARNED HIMSELF A BENCH SPOT - AT THE VERY LEAST

Amid last week's Wallabies coaching succession plan announcement, and the late drama that proceeded it, was the fact that we at last heard from Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt. The Kiwi, who has extended his stay in the role by a further 12 months, had not spoken to the media outside of a couple of brief interviews with Stan Sport this year, but at last fronted reporters alongside Les Kiss in Sydney. Asked whether his policy of prioritising players for Wallabies who had committed themselves to Super Rugby was still in place for the Lions, Schmidt indicated it was, but also said that "no one was out of the mix". And that is how it should be, for the Lions series at least, as Waratahs back-rower Langi Gleeson's form has been so good this season that he simply must be available for selection. Gleeson has delivered week in, week out for the Waratahs this year, and his physicality and energy could be a game-changer off the bench for the Wallabies in July. Notably, there have been few of the simple handling errors that marred his game earlier in the year; his reading of the Brumbies' attack to pick off an intercept and score in Canberra on Saturday night was superb. Gleeson -- who has signed with Montpellier for next year -- gets another chance to show his quality at home to the Reds this Friday, though it won't be against the still injured Harry Wilson. If Schmidt's first priority is to win the Lions series, Gleeson simply must be included in his Wallabies squad in some capacity.

LOLESIO, WRIGHT ARE WARMING UP JUST WHEN IT MATTERS; POTTER A STANDOUT

Tom Wright had been relatively quiet at fullback for the Brumbies this season. We had seen few of his devastating surges on the counter attack; there had also been a couple of instances of Wright's bad old habits of passing to players in a poorer position or trying to be overly tricky when the situation did not warrant it. But against the Waratahs on Saturday night he was brilliant, Wright showing exactly why Schmidt will be loathed to shift him from the Wallabies No. 15 jersey come July. Lolesio, meanwhile, falls into the same category as Gleeson, though he too looked far more assured against NSW in Canberra. The Brumbies attack was humming, which was in large part down to the improved performance of their pack, who had been dominated by the Hurricanes a week earlier. The No. 10 also kicked 5/6 conversions, which was also a timely return to form given his struggles from the kicking tee so far this season. Earlier in Round 12, Harry Potter again reinforced his claims for a starting Wallabies spot against the Lions. While the Force were well beaten, Potter shone with a series of brilliant individual plays.