Coach Tana Umaga hailed the impact of loose forward dynamo Ardie Savea after Moana Pasifika pulled off arguably their biggest Super Rugby win by toppling the Canterbury Crusaders.
All Blacks star Savea scored the first two tries as Moana stunned the Crusaders 45-29 in Christchurch on Saturday, notching their first defeat of one of the competition's powerhouses.
Umaga labelled it the best performance of his time in charge of Moana, the Auckland-based side established in 2021 to provide a top-level pathway for players of Pasifika heritage.
After struggling for results and to attract top players in their first three seasons, it was hoped the surprise off-season signing of Savea would ignite a turnaround in fortunes.
Umaga said their "complete performance" in Christchurch was a measure of Savea's influence.
"What he's brought right from the start, from his signing to where we are now, his whole influence within this group and our club has been huge," Umaga said of the 96-Test veteran.
"And you see it every week, he really gives our players confidence and he leads with his heart but also with that experience that he's had.
"The players turn to him in those moments when teams are getting on top of us."
After a series of close defeats, Moana's second win from six games lifted them past the defending champion Auckland Blues to ninth on the standings.
Savea said maintaining their standards will be crucial if they are to qualify for the play-offs for the first time.
The 31-year-old said he will urge his largely-young team-mates to continue playing without fear of the result.
"I think a lot of it is just letting the boys realise how talented they are and to believe in themselves," Savea said.
"And you're starting to see that at the moment - they believe that we can do special things."
Coming off three successive big wins, the Crusaders' defeat prevented them from going top of the standings through seven rounds.
They are third, four points behind the Queensland Reds, who leapfrogged the Waikato Chiefs into top spot with a 28-24 win over the Western Force in Brisbane on Saturday.