Leicester Fainga’anuku eyeing All Blacks return and reveals surprising new role which he hopes will bring ‘a point of difference’
Leicester Fainga'anuku in action for the All Blacks and Toulon.
Leicester Fainga’anuku is back in New Zealand from France and said that apart from playing in the backline at centre and on the wing, that he can also pack down in the scrum.
Fainga’anuku made his name with the Crusaders but left the Christchurch-based franchise following the conclusion of the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, joining Top 14 outfit Toulon after the Rugby World Cup with the All Blacks.
He shone during his first season at Toulon (2023/24), scoring nine tries in 14 appearances and although he was not amongst the leading try-scorers during the 2024/25 campaign, he helped the Cote D’Azur-based club reach the Top 14’s semi-finals where they lost to eventual runners-up Bordeaux-Begles.
‘Added an extra string to his bow’
The Tonga-born star is a versatile player, who featured mostly on the wing – but also at centre – for the Crusaders and the All Blacks and has now revealed that he has added an extra string to his bow during his stint at Toulon as he also played on the flank during matches for the club.
“In France, I was playing more centre, and then managed to get myself into the loose forwards,” Fainga’anuku told the DSPN podcast with John Day. “So, I played the first 40-odd at centre and then the last 30 or 20 in the loose forwards.
“Honestly, I enjoy both areas of the game.”
Although news of his positional switch will be surprising to many New Zealanders, the 25-year-old’s robust style of play means he should not be out of place amongst the forwards and he said he is enjoying his new role.
“I love it, absolutely love it,” added Fainga’anuku. “It’s always been something I want to keep in my back pocket, just to be a hybrid player and bring a whole new dynamic to the game.
“It was really interesting. I really enjoyed it.
“I’ve always tried to have a point of difference in my game, and that’s just another area to add to my CV and my toolbox, and something I’ll keep crafting away at.
“But look, I’m just always trying to get better, every day, and just trying to find new ways to develop as a player.”
He arrived back in New Zealand two weeks ago and said a combination of family and rugby reasons helped him decide to return home.
Fainga’anuku revealed that while he thoroughly enjoyed his stint at Toulon, his ultimate goal is to be involved in the All Blacks’ campaign at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
‘That sort of changes the dynamics of the future’
“As much as I was enjoying my time over there, I think me and my partner, we were blessed enough to have our first wee born over in France and that sort of changes the dynamics of the future,” he said.
“Obviously, it would have been nice to continue our beautiful journey on the Mediterranean. But I think for both of us, we started having discussions on returning home just for family reasons and just giving both our parents and family and friends back home to, I guess, create memories of our first wee born and something we don’t want to take away from them.
“That’s pretty much the big indicator for us to head home.
“And obviously, footy-wise for me, I still got a lot of me to go and obviously, I think in two years time, there’s a team I would love to make in a tournament that would be played in Australia.
“So everything just sort of fell into place and we know we’re here for two years, we’re enjoying every bit of it, family and friends.
“And just for me personally, just head down, chipping away at what I love doing every day and that’s obviously playing footy.”
