Another member of the All Blacks Sevens has made the switch to Super Rugby Pacific, with breakout Olympics star Fehi Fineanganofo putting pen to paper on a multi-year deal with the Hurricanes for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Fineanganofo joins Leroy Carter (Chiefs) and Che Clark (Blues) by making the switch to the illustrious southern hemisphere 15s competition, with the All Blacks Sevens now preparing to usher in a new era without some of their headline stars from years gone by.
Born and raised in Tamaki Makaurau, Fineanganofo was heralded as a younger player to watch after being plucked out of Auckland Grammar to represent the New Zealand Schools side in 2020. But, unfortunately, things took a turn the following year.
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The New Zealander had to overcome some hurdles and early career challenges after being sidelined with some injuries in 2021 which kept him on the sidelines. But the influence of New Zealand Sevens coach Clark Laidlaw proved to have a significant impact.
Fittingly, Laidlaw is now the head coach of the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes finished the 2024 regular season in first place, but ended up missing the Grand Final after a tough loss to the Chiefs at Wellington’s Sky Stadium.
“I did my ACL right after school, which ruled me out for about two years,” Fineanganofo said in a statement. “I got out of shape and was in a pretty dark spot when I got a call from the head coach of the All Blacks Sevens.
“Clarky played a massive role in my comeback. He saw potential in me, and with his help and a bit of hard work, I dropped the weight, got back in shape and earned my spot in the All Blacks Sevens squad, making my debut in Los Angeles in 2023.
“This means a lot to me and my family,” he added. “I know they’re proud of me, and that means everything. They’re who I do this for.”
Fineanganofo impressed on the HSBC SVNS Series during the 2023/24 season and was rewarded with a spot in Team New Zealand’s sevens squad for the Paris Olympic Games. The men in black fell short of a medal, though, after losing to South Africa in the quarter-finals.
After those Olympics, Fineanganofo returned to the 15-player format after linking up with Bay of Plenty for another National Provincial Championship (NPC) season. The 22-year-old scored three tries in five appearances last year and was once again impressive for the Steamers in 2024.
After scoring three tries in the space of two matches against Manawatu and Taranaki, Fineanganofo was named to start at outside centre in the round seven clash with Wellington. The former sevens ace later switched to the win for some key matches.
The Bay went on to match the NPC Final, where they came up against the Wellington Lions in one of the most incredible deciders in the competition’s illustrious history. Fineanganofo came off the bench as The Bay went down swinging in an extra time thriller.
But Fineanganofo’s efforts during that season were by no means in vain. The Hurricanes liked what they saw from the former All Blacks Sevens representative, with Laidlaw reuniting with the rugby talent who was just a teenager when they first met.
“I met Fehi as an 18-year-old originally. He went through a really tough couple of years with that ACL injury, but the way he worked through rehab to get a full contract with the All Blacks Sevens which culminated in his Olympics selection really turned our heads,” Laidlaw explained.
“Both his sevens and the way he’s played for Bay of Plenty really excites us. He’s a power athlete who can play in the midfield as well as on the wing.
“Fehi and the coaches are looking forward to having a strong pre-season together. We know he had a few options out there, and we’re super grateful he chose to join us.”
The Hurricanes have also signed Wellington Lions outside back Tjay Clarke and North Harbour’s try-scoring phenomenon Kade Banks for the upcoming season.
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