World Rugby regulations creating ‘delicate’ NZ Rugby situation with All Blacks ‘highly active’ in pursuit of Super Rugby’s hottest prospect
Hurricanes wing Fehi Fineanganofo and All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie.
There is still a possibility that Fehi Fineanganofo could remain in New Zealand and represent the national team with the All Blacks exploring all avenues.
The Hurricanes speedster has been in remarkable form in Super Rugby Pacific this season and has scored 15 tries in 11 matches, one off the record set by Ben Lam and Joe Roff.
Fineanganofo has produced the type of performances which would guarantee selection in Dave Rennie’s squad for the Nations Championship, but he signed a two-year deal with English side Newcastle Red Bulls before the campaign got underway.
The All Blacks still hope that there is some way to keep him in the country, however, and according to the New Zealand Herald, they remain “highly active behind the scenes” in pursuit of that goal.
It would of course mean that the 23-year-old would need to break his contract with Newcastle, one which is understood to be three times the size of his current deal.
Big wage differential
He is reportedly on around a combined $150,000 with Bay of Plenty and the Hurricanes, but he will be set to earn $450,000 should he not renege on his Red Bulls deal.
However, if Fineanganofo were to receive a Test call-up, that could ultimately increase his salary to $300,000, still well short of Newcastle’s offer but with the potential for increased earnings should he replicate his Super Rugby form in a black jersey.
The Herald state that the situation remains “delicate”, though, due to World Rugby regulations which says “national unions, clubs and rugby bodies can’t be seen to encourage or incite players to break contracts.”
However, it would be a boost for the All Blacks should Rennie, who visited the Hurricanes on Thursday, convince him to stay.
Cory Jane urges NZ Rugby to step in as All Blacks set to lose out on Super Rugby’s hottest prospect
NZ Rugby ‘need to do something’
This development comes after Hurricanes coach Cory Jane urged NZ Rugby to step in having seen close up the talent that Fineanganofo possesses.
“New Zealand need to do something. They might not even look at him to be an All Black and then fair enough, let him go, but if they’re looking at him being an All Black, they’ve got to try and do something to get him out of his deal,” he told Sport Nation’s Scotty and Izzy show.
Jane insisted that he has not constantly been in the winger’s ear about staying in Wellington but admitted that he has made one comment to him.
“I’m not too sure. I kind of leave him, it’s a decision that he made and I haven’t tried to sit there and go, ‘you need to get out of it’ or ‘you’re going to be an All Black now’ because what good is that going to do,” he said.
“I did, however, just look at him when he went into the changing room and said: ‘Well played’, and then said: ‘You might have to see if you can get out of that deal’, but that was it.”