Newcastle agree to wait for Fineanganofo's World Cup chase
Newcastle Red Bulls will wait another year for Fehi Fineanganofo so the winger can chase a place at the Rugby World Cup.
The Premiership club have agreed to push back his arrival on Tyneside until after the 2027 tournament, leaving him free to stay in New Zealand for one more season, BBC Sport reported.
Fineanganofo is 24 and plays on the wing, the speedster's role out wide where most tries are finished. He made his New Zealand debut against France in July. This year he broke the record for the most tries in a single Super Rugby campaign with the Hurricanes. A try is worth five points, rugby union's main way of scoring. Super Rugby is the leading club competition in the southern hemisphere.
He had originally agreed a two-year deal with Newcastle in January, due to start at the beginning of this season. That two-year commitment still stands. It now covers the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons instead.
The delay protects his international future. Under All Blacks selection rules, moving overseas this year would have ruled him out of contention for the 2027 World Cup, which begins in October 2027. Fineanganofo has now re-signed with New Zealand Rugby through to the end of 2027 and will join Newcastle on extended terms covering 2027 to 2029, All Blacks confirmed.
The arrangement followed several months of positive and collaborative discussions between the player, New Zealand Rugby and Newcastle. It is a change of direction. In June, New Zealand Rugby denied trying to put together a deal to get Fineanganofo out of his Newcastle contract. Only a few weeks ago, Newcastle head coach Dan McFarland said he expected the winger to arrive in November for the current campaign.
Newcastle have started the Premiership season — England's top flight — with Werner Kok and Christian Wade as their first-choice wings. They will continue without Fineanganofo for now.
For fans, this means patience. Newcastle keep their man, just later. New Zealand keep a red-hot finisher in the shop window before a World Cup.
