The Blues and Moana Pasifika will battle for city supremacy this Saturday, Photo: Photosport
It is being billed as a local derby.
Two teams from across the bridge.
Moana Pasifika from the North and the Blues, the proud defenders of the City of Sails state.
But Moana Pasifika are not focused on the hype.
They know if they do they could be damned.
Head coach Fa'alogo Tana Umaga for one knows that.
He has been there and done that, so to speak.
Not too long ago he was in charge of the Blues and he knows full well what can happen if the team focus on their opponents, rather than on themselves.
"We just got to go back to what we do," he said on Thursday.
"It is a big game, a local derby, which is exciting for not just us but the region.
"But we can't go away from what has got us here, how we prepared has got us to this point, and we can't get ahead of ourselves.
"Winning back to back games is a great achievement and that has given us some confidence on how we are in our game, yet it also puts a target on your back and brings its own expectations and pressures.
"We have to make sure we start at the start, and we keep building and that's all we can control, and that has been working for us."
Full 80 minutes
Flyhalf Jackson Garden-Bachop backed his coach and said while there is excitement within the team, the players are focusing on what they need to do in the full 80 minutes.
He will be in charge of shifting the game and controlling how they play, named at number 10 for the clash.
"I think we've just got to build on what we've been doing. We've been playing some really good rugby," Bachop told journalists at the team's North Harbour ground home base on Thursday.
"Keep working towards an 80 minute performance, just the consistency throughout the whole game. But I think the main thing that the Blues bring is size and physicality. So we've got to make sure that we match up and dominant, dominate them."
He said they had reviewed their last performance against the Waratahs and know they will need to start from the first whistle against the Blues and complete the game well, like they did against the Crusaders.
He pointed to their second half performance last weekend as they way they should be playing for the whole of 80 minutes.
"I think that first half was it was a lot of little things, a few individual errors, a few individual lapses, but nothing that we sweat massively because when we get our game right, like we did in the second half, we're on so same with the Crusaders.
"We played a pretty full game there. So we have it in us and we've got to ust make sure that as individuals, we nail our moments when we have them."
Off the bench
Off the bench performance has been a big focus for the team as well and Bachop knows that is going to be a critical part of their game when they play at Eden Park.
"I guess off the bench you got to be a bit fluid, where you're going to come on, what position, what time, what sort of situation the game is going to be in," he said.
"I know I'm going into the game it's going to be in the law. We've got a plan that want to execute. So I've got to try and make sure I nail that from the jump, and then adapt from there, whether it's working or not working.
"Make those decisions on the fly, so preparation wise nothing has changed much, but yeah, I have to be ready to go from the one."
It is also something coach Umaga has stressed throughout the week to the players.
The message has been for the starters to get the job done and set the pace.
"We working on our start, we don't wanna leave it to always rely on the second half team," he said.
"We don't want to get into that habit, everyone is looking for that 80 minutes performance.
"That's on the guys that are starting to make sure they pull their weights and don't leave it to the guys that are coming on afterwards.
"Its everyone doing their job from the first minute to the last."
Moana Pasifika captain Ardie Savea and Laomilo Laomilo celebrate with fans after their win in the Super Rugby Pacific - Moana Pasifika v Hurricanes at North Harbour Stadium. Photo: Photosport
Flair and fans
Moana Pasifika have adopted the 'Poly Flair' as the new spice to their game, something that is now becoming an integral part of their week's performances.
The no-look passes, dummies and runs, more like the well known Fijian flair more aligned with the Flying Fijians.
It looks as if the team has broken away from just the physical games both Samoa and Tonga are known for.
Bachop said that has always been part of the individual players and the team continues to grow, with that Poly Flair combined with their own physicality and power-plays.
"We we have spice in every game because we're probably underestimated by everyone up until this point," he said.
"Oh, man, some of the stuff the boys pull out week on week is amazing to me, sort of uncoachable things in this group," he said.
"And I guess our journey this year has been nailing the coachable stuff, the tactical stuff, the consistency stuff, so that we can be in games for those moments to come out and win games with them."
He said the Blues will be huge and they will have their fans, who will be urging them on to perform at their home ground.
That adds alot of excitement to the game but he also believes Moana Pasifika will have a big crowd cheering for them too.
"I think that extra spice just comes through geography of the Blues, being in the same city. They're a hugely successful club, a really proud club.
"I definitely think out South as our home and now we are on the North shore and we've found a consistent base out here, our fan base has been amazing, and the stands have been filling up every week, and they've been making heaps of noise for us every game we've been here.
"As long as there's fans coming through the door, hopefully, the fact that both teams come from the same city means that we get a good crowd. We're definitely not focusing on that.
"That emotion is going to come naturally on the night, as it does in any game. So with all that sort of going on the outside, we've just really tried to focus on our process, really nailing our training week, which we've been doing well over the last month or so. So that's been our keep, our key focus."
Savea's influence
Bachop believes a key factor for the side would be the leadership of their captain Ardie Savea.
He said the All Black tough man leads by example on and off the field and continues to inspire the players and the club as a whole.
"Oh yeah, Ardie is spectacular to work with," Bachop stated.
"He's one of the people that you sort of stand behind as he is running in front of you and just like, what the hell is going on?
"But, I think more more than what he's doing on the field, off the field he's he's just been huge giving the boys belief.
"I mean, if the best player in the world thinks that we're good enough to win games, why can't we have that belief too? And I think that's showing in the way the boys are becoming professionals, the way the boys are training and now the way the boys are playing as well."
Savea gets to the lead the side again this weekend and will have the support of Miracle Failangi, who had a rest last weekend, and power-runner Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa.
Umaga has shifted Patrick Pellegrini to the bench, giving Jackson the start at flyhalf, in what certainly is a tactical move, aimed at ensuring their is consistency in the second spell.
Feleti Sae-Ta'ufo'ou, who scored three against the Waratahs last weekend, retains his starting position for the game, getting his first Super Rugby Pacific showdown against the Blues.
The team also welcome back prop James Lay, who has missed the last three matches, and 2024 captain Sione Havili Talitui, both set to come off the bench.
Moana Pasifika are eighth on the points standing, with three wins so far, while the Blues, defending champions this year, are at 10th, with two wins to their name.
A win for Moana will push their chances of getting into the top six higher, and victory for the home side will also give them a better chance of climbing into the top eight at least.
The Blues have named a strong side, with hooker Ricky Riccitelli and prop Angus Ta'avo brought into the staring team.
Veteran Beauden Barrett starts at flyhalf again, with Stephen Perofeta and Harry Plummer, on the bench to cover.
Blues v Moana Pasifika
Kick-off: 4:35pm Saturday 12 April
Eden Park, Auckland
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
Moana Pasifika: 1. Abraham Pole, 2. Millennium Sanerivi, 3. Feleti Sae-Ta'ufo'ou, 4. Sam Slade, 5. Allan Craig, 6. Miracle Faiilagi, 7. Ardie Savea (c), 8. Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa, 9. Melani Matavao, 10. Jackson Garden-Bachop, 11. Pepesana Patafilo, 12. Danny Toala, 13. Lalomilo Lalomilo, 14. Kyren Taumoefolau, 1. William Havili; Reserves: 16. Sama Malolo, 17. James Lay, 18. Chris Apoua, 19. Tom Savage, 20. Sione Havili Talitui, 21. Aisea Halo, 22. Patrick Pellegrini, 23. Fine Inisi.
Blues: 1. Joshua Fusitu'a, 2. Ricky Riccitelli, 3. Angus Ta'avao, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 5. Josh Beehre, 6. Anton Segner, 7. Dalton Papali'i, 8. Hoskins Sotutu, 9. Finlay Christie, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. AJ Lam, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Mark Tele'a, 15. Corey Evans; Reserves: 16. Kurt Eklund, 17. Mason Tupaea, 18. PJ Sheck, 19. Cam Christie,20. Adrian Choat, 21. Taufa Funaki, 22. Harry Plummer, 23. Stephen Perofeta.
