Moana Pasifika land international flyhalf to join Ardie Savea

Super Rugby side Moana Pasifika have had a splashy offseason on the signing front as they look to rebound from a challenging season.

Garnering the world’s rugby headlines a fortnight ago with the signing of All Blacks star and current World Player Of The Year Ardie Savea. The Mount Smart based side have added another key piece to their squad ahead of the 2025 season.

Fresh off topping the points scoring charts in English Rugby’s Championship, Tongan international Patrick Pellegrini will join Moana from midlands side Coventry.

Making 39 appearances for Coventry over the past two seasons, the 2023 Rugby World Cup injury replacement said of his time in the Championship, “Coventry is a great club and I’ve had two brilliant years there.

“The club has been massive in my development. Going into a full-time situation with them will make this next transition into top-level rugby much easier.

“The environment created by the coaching staff at Cov is outstanding and with everyone pushing each other you get better every day.

“The Championship is a really good stepping-stone into top-level rugby. It is a league crammed full of talent and playing with and against players of that standard week-in, week-out has really helped me develop.

“I have to give a massive thank you to everyone that has helped me over the last two years and especially to the fans for their incredible support.”

Discussing the move of his flyhalf Coventry head coach Alex Rae said, “We’re obviously sorry to see Pat move on but also pleased for him and wish him every success.

“Having one of our players recruited by a Super Rugby franchise also says plenty about the rugby programme we run.

“In the last six months we have seen three players who joined us from student or lower league rugby make the move to the Premiership and now Super Rugby and we are very proud of that.

“We will all enjoy following Pat’s career and hope to see plenty of him in both Super Rugby and with Tonga in future World Cups.

“He has performed brilliantly for us and we very much hope he visits the BPA whenever he returns to England in the future.”

The 25-year-old Pellegrini was born in Sydney Australia and made his debut for Tonga last year in a World Cup warm-up match again Fiji.