atrick Pellegrini of Moana Pasifika during the Super Rugby Pacific. Photo: John Davidson / www.photosport.nz
Patrick Pellegrini has stamped his mark amongst the best flyhalves in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific competition.
Unknown to the majority of rugby fans in Fiji, Australia and New Zealand, the stocky player with Tongan heritage has earned his spot in the Moana Pasifika team since he made his debut earlier this year.
Small in stature he maybe 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 told reporters in a news conference.
He has grown into the game so much that 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.
Pellegrini told RNZ Pacific that 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 said.
"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 gonna have to be on our best. All of us are gonna have to be on our best this week.
"I need to focus on my role, make sure I deliver what I've been practicing this week in training."
Patrick Pellegrini of Moana Pasifika Jonathan Taumateine and Ardie Savea of Moana Pasifika celebrates winning the Super Rugby Pacific matcvh against the Crusaders at Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch. 29 March 2025. Photo: John Davidson / www.photosport.nz
Flyhalf battles
Pellerigini said he is excited to have another face off with Chiefs and A 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 said of 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 kind of watching him, that was really cool playing against someone like O'Connor. And then got a few mates playing in the Warataha 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.
Patrick Pellegrini. Photo: ActionPress
'We've got the culture'
He said 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 that they have recorded against the New Zealand clubs, Hurricanes, Highlanders, Cruaders and the Blues have also helped in lifting their spirits.
Faith, culuture and growing self-belief has also helped him and the players stay focused and close as a team.
"Pretty solid," he said, referring to how he rates 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. So the boys are feeling good at the moment."
Pellergrini said that is 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 added.
Case in point, he said, was how the team rose to the challenge to record their first-ever win against the reigning Super Rugby champions last weekend.
He said the win over the Blues was "massive for momentum".
"That was great [and] unreal experience. The crowd were great [and] very vocal. They definitely helped us get over the line.
But he knows that the team cannot dwell on last week the past.
He said the message from the coaching team has been clear: stay grounded and get the job done.
"We had a good win [last week]," he said.
"But it's making sure we come back to ground. 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."
Moana Pasifika's Patrick Pellegrini. Photo: Martin Hunter/ActionPress
Pellegrini said it has been a long journey from club rugby league in Sydney to union in England, before coming home to be with 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.
