Moana Pasifika will playing for the people of Tonga affected by last month's devastating tsunami, when they take to the field in their pre-season match against the Chiefs at Mt Smart Stadium on Friday night.
On January 15, Tonga was struck by a powerful tsunami, after the eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai, leaving five confirmed dead and 18 missing.
The news reverberated across the Pacific, especially among New Zealand's Tongan community, which faced an anxious wait to hear from loved ones in the country.
And now with Tonga rebuilding from the damage, Moana Pasifika are using the disaster as inspiration heading into its maiden campaign, beginning February 18.
Moana Pasifika will make their Super Rugby debut in the upcoming season - initially staged in Queenstown - with the team acknowledging the Pacific's contribution to the game of rugby.
"It's been a huge motivation for our team," says coach Aaron Mauger. "We've certainly held the people of the Kingdom of Tonga in our hearts for the last couple of weeks.
"It's been acknowledged every day, you would have seen a lot of the messages our boys have sent out. Our families have been closely connected to that and affected as well.
"They're on the journey with us, we carry them into the game on Friday night, especially as a fundraiser for the repair mission over in Tonga."
The team's first unofficial game will see any proceeds donated to the Tongan relief effort.
While Auckland's current COVID-19 'red light' status prevents spectators from attending, the fixture will operate under reduced costs for services like stadium hire and TV broadcast, while Moana Pasifika are driving an online donation campaign through social media and website.
