Blues vs Moana Pasifika Prediction: Hosts to dismantle Auckland rivals

Auckland rivals Blues and Moana Pasifika meet in Super Rugby on Sunday (02:35 GMT, Sky Sports+) and there should really only be one winner at Eden Park.

Read on for my Blues vs Moana Pasifika prediction, complete with the latest match odds and team news.

Blues vs Moana Pasifika Odds

Blues are the overwhelming 1/25 favourites to win this clash with their Auckland rivals, while Moana Pasifika are 10/1 to spring a surprise and the draw is available at 40/1.

The three-way handicap has been set at 25 and Blues are 5/6 to triumph even when handing their opponents such a healthy head start, while the hosts are 2/13 to be winning at both half time and full time.

Team News

Blues coach Vern Cotter is managing his squad after they picked up a few knocks in last weekend's 29-13 victory over Crusaders, with Sam Nock coming in at halfback and Xavi Taele at inside centre.

There are also starts for Anton Segner at blindside flanker and Cole Forbes, who slots in at full-back after returning from injury.

Moana Pasifika will hand a debut to former New Zealand prop Atu Moli, who has recently joined up with the team, while there are returns for Tito Tuipulotu, Lalomilo Lalomilo and William Havili following injury lay-offs.

Blues -29 @ 13/10

Moana Pasifika caused a huge shock last season by claiming a first ever victory over Blues, but many of the key players in that 27-21 success - namely hat-trick hero Kyren Taumoefolau and leader Ardie Savea - are no longer with the team.

This is a much changed Moana outfit and they have started the season poorly, losing three of their opening four games, which includes shipping 50+ points in their two away fixtures against the Hurricanes (52-10) and Chiefs (57-24).

Only Western Force, who have played a game more, have shipped more points than Moana's total of 170 and Blues will be licking their lips at the prospect of taking on such a vulnerable defence.

Blues have made a solid start to 2026, but they certainly produced by far and away their best result of the campaign last weekend, comprehensively beating reigning champions Crusaders 29-13 at Eden Park and gaining revenge for last season's semi-final defeat against the same opposition.

If Cotter's team can put 29 points on Crusaders, they will expect to run up a much higher total against Moana and they are unlikely to show any mercy when tackling their city rivals, as they look to avenge last season's surprise defeat.

Blues had won all five of their meetings with Moana prior to that loss in May, racking up 47-8 and 46-16 victories in the process, and the gap between the two sides could be something similar on Sunday given the way they have been trending over the early weeks of the season.

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