Moana Pasifika's Patrick Pellegrini. Photo credit: Martin Hunter/ActionPress.
Source: RNZ Pacific
Patrick Pellegrini has stamped his mark among the best flyhalves in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific competition.
Unknown to most rugby fans in Fiji, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, the stocky player with Tongan heritage has earned his spot in the Moana Pasifika team since making his debut earlier this year.
Small in stature he may be, but what he does on the field has caught the attention of many – both within and outside the Moana Pasifika set up.
He has become an integral part of the team, with head coach Fa’alogo Tana Umaga paying tribute to him as a player who has taken on the responsibility, learned, and making improvements in the heaps and bounds.
“Patrick is growing in every game,” Umaga says.
He has grown into the game so much; it appears it is hard for the team to go without him in the match-day 23.
Last weekend, Pellegrini was driving the team’s attacks, in combination with halfback Jonathan Taumateine, as they defeated the Blues for the first time in the history of the game.
This week, Umaga has retained them as the key combination of halves at 9 and 10 to face the Chiefs in Hamilton in a round 15 game.
The game could be the decider for the side, with a place in the top six on the offering.
A win will almost likely cement Moana Pasifika’s spot for a play-off berth.
While the side have another game against the Hurricanes next week, the focus, Pellegrini said, is on the Chiefs right now.
Speaking to RNZ Pacific, Pellegrini says he has a role to play and also understands how important it is.
“I think it’s just kind of looking to the Chiefs, focusing on my role in making sure I can lead the team around the park, and just nailing my job,” he says.
“Everyone [is] just focused on their role and then me, as a 10, just driving that into this game.
“We know they’re a solid team, so we’re going to have to be at our best.
“I need to focus on my role, make sure I deliver what I’ve been practicing this week in training.”
Flyhalf battles
Pellegrini says he is excited to have another face off with Chiefs and All Blacks flyhalf, Damien McKenzie, who he rates highly, also having enjoyed the experience of playing against other top flyhalves like former Wallaby and current Crusaders recruit, James O’Connor.
“You know, he’s probably one of the in-form 10s in the world at the moment, I can’t wait to go up against him again, ” Pellegrini says about McKenzie.
“And the Chiefs they’re probably the best team in the competition at the moment, so it’s definitely a good challenge for us and one we’re ready for.
“It’s pretty cool experience to play against James O’Connor of the Crusaders, being an Aussie 10.
“I grew up watching him, that was really cool playing against someone like O’Connor, and then I have a few mates playing in the Waratahs team as well, so it’s cool to play against them as well.”
Last weekend he faced off against Blues and All Black utility Beauden Barrett and came off with flying colours.
‘We’ve got the culture’
He says since coming on for Moana Pasifika and making the move from England, his season has been an experience, and the Moana Pasifika players have helped him grow with them.
The wins they have recorded against the New Zealand clubs, Hurricanes, Highlanders, Crusaders and the Blues have also helped in lifting their spirits.
Faith, culture and growing self-belief has also helped him and the players stay focused and close as a team.
“Pretty solid,” he says about his season so far.
“I think we’ve been pretty good, and we’re just building so far, it’s been a good year.
“We’ve had a few good wins, hopefully we can finish the season strong and get that top six spot.
“There’s a few things that have kept us bonded as a team, probably the main thing that’s binding the players together for Moana is we’ve got the culture here and it’s unreal, the standards that’s driven at training, and the belief, you know, the confidence.
“When you start winning a few games, you know, it just breeds confidence…the boys are feeling good at the moment.”
Pellegrini says the team are boosted by the leadership of captain Ardie Savea, who has been an inspiration for the side on and off the field.
“He just leads from the front,” he adds.
Case in point, he says, is how the team rose to the challenge to record their first-ever win against the reigning Super Rugby champions last weekend.
He says the win over the Blues is “massive for momentum”.
“That was great and unreal experience, the crowd were great and very vocal – they definitely helped us get over the line.”
He knows the team cannot dwell on the past and the message from the coaching team has been clear: stay grounded and get the job done.
“We had a good win…but it’s making sure we come back to ground,” he says.
“We’re on a high but making sure we’re focused on this next job now.
“We can’t look back, we just look forward and make sure we take it day by day and get the best out of every day to give us a best chance on Saturday.”
Pellegrini says it has been a long journey from club rugby league in Sydney to union in England, before returning to Aotearoa to be part of Moana Pasifika.
He is relishing the opportunity, and growing with the “rising Moana Pasifika tide”, creating and re-creating history for a side that many are now standing up and taking notice of.
In round 15 of the 2025 DHL Super Rugby, the Gallagher Chiefs host Moana Pasifika at FMG Stadium Waikato Chiefs, in Hamilton on May 24. Kick off is at 7:05pm.
