Winger Fehi Fineanganofo has convinced Newcastle Red Bulls to postpone his move to Tyneside, enabling the 24-year-old to remain with the Hurricanes and pursue selection for New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup squad.
The player originally agreed to a two-year contract with Newcastle in January, scheduled to begin at the start of the current campaign. However, his standout performance in Super Rugby, where he broke the record for most tries in a single season, secured his debut for the All Blacks against France in July.
Under New Zealand selection rules, moving overseas would have disqualified Fineanganofo from consideration for the tournament beginning in October 2027. Consequently, the club allowed him to stay with the Wellington-based Hurricanes for one additional season. His revised two-year contract with Newcastle will now cover the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons.
Fineanganofo expressed his gratitude to the club, stating, “I’m really grateful to Newcastle Red Bulls for the support and understanding they’ve shown me… I’m fully committed to joining the club after the tournament and giving everything I can to the team.”
Neil McIlroy, Newcastle’s sporting general manager, noted that the decision aligns with the club’s philosophy of supporting athletes in reaching their ambitions. He added that Fineanganofo’s arrival in 2027, bolstered by international experience, represents a significant strategic move for the team.
This arrangement resolves previous uncertainty regarding the winger’s future. Earlier this year, New Zealand Rugby denied reports of attempting to buy out Fineanganofo’s contract. Meanwhile, Newcastle head coach Dan McFarland initially expected the player to arrive in November, prompting the club to sign Werner Kok from Ulster as an alternative wing option.
Newcastle recently suffered a 59-26 defeat to Northampton in their league opener and are set to host Leicester on Saturday.
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