Moana Pasifika has sacked more than one-third of its playing squad in an extraordinary response to its best-ever Super Rugby Pacific season since entering the reformed post-COVID competition in 2022.

The Auckland-based club, full of players from Pacific Island nations or of Pasifika heritage that also includes Test regulars of Samoa and Tonga, announced it had turned over 15 players on its official social media account on Friday night.

"Goodbyes are never easy, but they remind us just how meaningful the journey has been," the authors of Moana Pasifika's social media channel politely posted.

"Thank you, brothers, for everything."

The majority of the axings have included squad members that formed the nucleus of the Moana Pasifika identity since its debut season in a sign of an intentional clean out for a fresh rebuild of the franchise despite climbing to seventh this year and missing out on the finals by just one spot.

Players released were one-time franchise skipper Sione Havili-Talitui, Fine Inisi, Lotu Inisi, Aisea Halo, Neria Fomai, Pepesana Patafilo, Danny Toala, Alamanda Motuga, Michael Curry, Sama Malolo, Tomasi Maka, Connor Seve, Irie Papuni, Pone Fa'amausili, and Kyren Taumoefolau.

Taumoefolau – strongly rumoured to be heading to the Chiefs – and Havili-Talitui are believed to have asked for a release at the end of their respective contracts.

The massive overhaul to the Moana Pasifika program comes just several days after Hurricanes captain Xavier Numia was singing the praises of the progress of the campaign that Rugby New Zealand established for Pacific players largely playing around the country.

"I do want to acknowledge Moana Pasifika and the season that they've had, and the inspiration and the excitement that they brought to our competition," he said.

"You can see now the amount of fans and people that are behind them, and what that brings to rugby in New Zealand."