New Zealand Rugby should pull every lever to get Fehi Fineanganofo out of UK deal

Wednesday, 15 April 2026

ANALYSIS: Does anyone remember Waisake Naholo’s two-year stint in France?

The answer is no, because it didn’t happen. And it didn’t happen because in 2015 New Zealand Rugby stepped in to extricate Naholo from the deal he had already signed with Clermont.

Contracts are binding until they are not, and although NZ Rugby might not carry as much weight as it did in 2015 it should explore every avenue to get Hurricanes winger Fehi Fineanganofo out of his two-year contract with the Newcastle Red Bulls.

Fineanganofo’s time is now. If the 23-year-old wants to play at a Rugby World Cup with the All Blacks, the realistic window is the tournament in Australia next year.

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The chances of him going to the UK and the coming back to New Zealand and making the All Blacks as a 28-year-old for the 2031 Rugby World Cup are slim.

The opportunity for him to earn some real money will also still exist if he stays in New Zealand for the next few years.

In fact, his market value is probably higher now than when he signed for the UK club and it has the potential to increase exponentially if he makes the All Blacks and stars in the test arena.

From an All Blacks perspective, Fineanganofo is exactly the type of point-of-difference athlete that test rivals do not like defending against.

He’s got speed, footwork, size and power and is being well coached at the Hurricanes by mentors who in turn value his capacity to learn.

That is a compelling package and while Caleb Clarke is playing the house down at the Blues he has frequently been troubled by injuries and had to leave the field after 60 minutes against the Hurricanes on Saturday.

The All Blacks finished last year with Clarke and Will Jordan on the wings, with Leicester Fainga’anuku and Sevu Reece on the bench.

Etene Nanai-Seturo, Chay Fihaki, Caleb Tangitau, Emoni Narawa, Leroy Carter and Kyren Taumoefolau are other options but Tangitau and Narawa prefer the right edge and Fineanganofo is a better finisher than the others.

There was only a rumour of an opportunity when he received the ball against the Blues in the first half on Saturday, yet he made the finish look easy.

No other winger is playing as well as Fineanganofo and Newcastle must still be pinching themselves they managed to land a player whose abilities were hardly hidden - he had already shown his huge potential on the Sevens circuit, for Bay of Plenty and during his first season with the Hurricanes.

Perhaps during a period of turmoil NZ Rugby didn’t quite get its talent ID and retention right, but where there is a will there is a way.

The ambitious Red Bulls might be open to a game against the All Blacks XV or view themselves as a suitable destination for the next senior All Black who wants to take a playing sabbatical in the Prem, as England’s top league has now been rebranded.

NZ Rugby should at least be asking Fineanganofo if he would consider being part of the Dave Rennie era, because the 105kg weapon is running red hot.