THE first player to sign a Super Rugby contract straight from Samoan club rugby, Miracle Faiilagi, will lead Moana Pasifika as captain for the 2026 DHL Super Rugby Pacific season.
Faiilagi stormed onto the Super Rugby scene in 2023, after being spotted by Moana Pasifika coaches at the now defunct World Rugby Pacific Combine in Suva in 2022. He was a clear stand out and impressed with the way he presented himself on and off the field.
Since then he has gone from strength to strength, becoming an elite talent in both Super Rugby and on the world stage as a Manu Samoa representative.
“I’m truly grateful for this opportunity and I just give praise to God,” Faiilagi said.
“It’s His plan that I’m here. God put me in this position and it’s a role that I’m ready to step into and give it my best.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to lead this team. I’m not only leading the boys and this whole organisation, but I’m leading Pasifika people.
“When Tana asked me to be captain I went away and gathered information from previous leaders, especially Ardie and Jimmy Lay.’’
Faiilagi is from Vailele and Uafato in Samoa. He played for Vailele Rugby Club as a youth and was a star on the Samoan donning national colours in the sevens code in 2021.
“Looking back, I was just a kid from the Islands that wanted to make the most of the opportunity and back in the Islands we hardly get these opportunities,” Faiilagi said.
“For the kids back in the Islands I hope this encourages them to keep pursuing their dreams in whatever field that they’re trying to reach. Just keep believing in themselves, put God first and do the hard work.”
Faiilagi represented Manu Samoa at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
He missed most of the 2024 Super Rugby season with injury but returned to Moana Pasifika in 2025 with vengeance.
Faiilagi scored eight tries including a hat-trick in Moana Pasifika’s win over the Hurricanes. In 13 appearances, Faiilagi also recorded 766 carry meters and 31 tackle breaks. He also won the Moana Pasifika Attacking Player of the Year Award alongside Kyren Taumoefolau.
Source: Moana Pasifika Media