Hurricanes boss lifts lid on failed Ardie Savea contract talks as world's best player joins older brother at Moana Pasifika

- This article originally appeared on Stuff and is reproduced with permission

Hurricanes boss Avan Lee says Ardie Savea has the option of taking another sabbatical from Super Rugby Pacific in 2026, but maintained that wasn't an issue for the franchise during failed negotiations with the star All Black.

Lee also stated that Julian Savea's messy exit from the Hurricanes after the 2023 season wasn't a factor in his younger brother's decision to join him at Moana Pasifika.

All Blacks vice captain and No.8 Savea has signed with Moana Pasifika, and NZ Rugby, through to 2027.

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He didn't play for the Hurricanes this year because his contract with NZ Rugby allowed him to skip Super Rugby to play for Japanese powerhouse club Kobelco Kobe Steelers.

Savea's decision to swap teams, and be coached by former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga, means his final game for the Hurricanes was in the quarter-final defeat to the Brumbies in Canberra in 2023.

Lee was satisfied the Hurricanes did everything they could to retain Savea, and stated the call to axe Julian ahead of the 2024 season wasn't why his sibling wanted to depart.

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"I think Jules and Ardie are very close. Naturally, they are brothers, but they are also very close,'' Lee said.

"I have made it public that we didn't handle the Julian situation well enough, so I am sure for Ardie that was in the back of his mind. But I don't think that is the reason he has gone to Moana Pasifika.

"From our perspective, he has been away this year, he has got the option to go away in 2026, so he is happy to go to Moana in '25 and '27 and play for the All Blacks for those three years.

"We just wish him all the best. He has been a great Hurricane, and he will always be a legend of our club. We wish him every success.''

When Julian left the Hurricanes he posted a message on social media to state he hadn't made the departure he had planned, or hoped, for: "But that's rugby for you and sometimes it's brutal."

On Sunday evening Ardie said in a statement issued by Moana Pasifika that he had "massive respect'' for the Hurricanes, but claimed it was "the right time for a change.''

Savea, an 84-Test All Black, made 131 appearances for the Hurricanes since 2013.

Former All Blacks winger John Kirwan was critical of Savea's move to Moana Pasifika, saying the team should be ring fenced to grow Pasifika talent, not recruit established All Blacks.

"Don't get me wrong, I want Moana Pasifika to be great, but is it good for Ardie Savea if they have another season where they are second to last?" Kirwan said on The Breakdown, available to watch on Stan Sport.

"Is that going to help us as All Blacks, that Ardie is going to be coming from possibly doing extra or struggling. It'll be a bigger workload."

NZ Rugby CEO Mark Robinson said Savea had kept All Blacks coach Scott Robertson updated during negotiations.

Robinson noted Savea's workload at Moana Pasifika, which has not made the playoffs since joining Super Rugby in 2022, would be monitored the same as other All Blacks at the five established New Zealand teams.

"There was always a consideration that Moana Pasifika would sign a player like Ardie,'' Robinson said.

"That was in the thinking of around the development of the club.

"I can't speak to future players around it, I think, as Ardie has said he has been in the same Super environment for 11 years, he has had an amazing time at the Hurricanes and thinks it is the right time for change.

"All players will have different motivations, and different ideas on their pathway, won't they? For the moment this one is quite unique. He has been such a long servant to New Zealand rugby and he had got a family connection, and a deeper cultural connection to the team, and we can understand his decision and certainly wish him well with it.''

Lee said that while the Hurricanes didn't discuss the merits of Savea returning after a stint with Moana Pasifika, it did discuss contracting him for only one season.

"Initially there were conversations about '25 only, because that was the year of the contract where he had the ability to go elsewhere (in 2026) but, no, it wasn't talked about to be honest,'' Lee said.

"It was '25 and '27 or nothing. I think for Ardie, I think it would be the same because he has to move to Auckland with his family.

"So it's a big decision for him as well.''

Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw will take some comfort from knowing the team performed well without Savea this year.

The Hurricanes finished as the top qualifier after the round robin, but were beaten by the Chiefs in the semifinal in Wellington.

But there is no hiding from the fact that they have lost one of the world's best players.

Lee said the franchise and Savea couldn't agree on some "key terms,'' but he left with their blessing.

"There were times during the process where we didn't agree, I suppose, but the relationship with Ardie is very good,'' Lee noted.

"We talked about it afterwards when he decided he was going to go to Moana. I have been in touch with him, this morning, since he has got home (from the United States with the All Blacks).

"There are no residual issues between Ardie and the Hurricanes. You have got to look at the positives for him and Moana as well. While we are sad to see him go, he has been a fantastic Hurricane. These things do happen.''