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The future of Pacific rugby talent hangs in the balance as Moana Pasifika, a Super Rugby Pacific franchise, is set to be disbanded at the end of the season. The team's ownership confirmed it would not continue funding the 'unviable' operation, sparking fears that the region's talent will gravitate to rugby league.Tana Umaga, the team's coach and All Blacks great, expressed concerns about the impact on Samoan and Tongan Test teams, which are struggling to develop into competitive rugby nations. 'The gap between where we [Samoa and Tonga] are currently, internationally, to where we need to get to, is very big,' Umaga said. 'Without Moana to bridge that gap, it's going to be tough.'The team's players, including utility back William Havili, are devastated by the news and worry about the opportunities for emerging players. 'This team gave me a chance in Super Rugby and I got to debut for my country, my dad's country of birth and then I got to go to a World Cup,' Havili said.The looming threat of Pacific players being lost to rugby league is a significant concern. 'That's the real risk,' Umaga said. 'What is the answer if it's not us, then what? If we're not there, then what for Samoa and Tonga?'Despite the uncertainty, players and staff are holding onto hope that a new investor could snap up the team's license and revive Moana Pasifika. 'There's a glimmer of hope for us and that's what we've got to look forward to and we've just got to keep pushing forward,' Umaga said.

After clinching the 2026 Asian Cup in Australia, 35‑year‑old defender Saki Kumagai was asked to rank the trophy among the many she has collected over a 17‑year career. She smiled, shook her head and said, “I never compare my titles… this team is from a different generation, so winning this tournament means a lot.” Kumagai is the sole remaining player who lifted the Women’s World Cup in 2011 – the first and only Asian nation to do so. At 21, she scored the decisive penalty in the shoot‑out against the United States, a victory that came just months after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan. Today, the squad she captains features teenagers who were toddlers when she made history: forward Maika Hamano was seven, centre‑back Toko Koga five, and top scorer Riko Ueki twelve when Kumagai’s winning penalty was replayed on TV. Kumagai admits she offers little direct advice, but she leads by example, saying, “I try to pass the baton to the next generation to show them how to perform in these moments.” The transition is no accident. In 2005 the Japanese Football Association unveiled a 50‑year vision aimed at expanding participation, climbing FIFA rankings and eventually hosting – and winning – a World Cup. Halfway through that plan, Japan now sits fifth in the FIFA women’s rankings, having added an Olympic silver medal (2021), a second World Cup final (2015), and three Asian Cup titles (2014, 2018, 2026) to its résumé. While the men’s game has progressed more slowly, the women’s side has surged ahead, bolstered by the launch of Asia’s first full‑time professional women’s league in 2021. This structural backbone has produced a squad “propelled by young stars,” as Kumagai notes. Currently playing for the London City Lionesses after spells at Olympique Lyonnais, Bayern Munich and Roma, Kumagai sees herself as a bridge between eras. She hopes her experience will help Japan reclaim the sport’s summit. “We have a lot of good young players,” she says. “They have confidence, they’re gaining experience in Europe, and as an experienced player I want to create a supportive environment for them.”