Fineanganofo breaks Super Rugby try record then spends All Blacks debut halftime sick with nerves

Fehi Fineanganofo made his All Blacks debut on Saturday night at Christchurch, coming off the bench to play the final 12 minutes of a narrow win over France — but not before nerves pushed the 23-year-old to the bathroom at halftime.

“At halftime, I was in the toilet spewing. I felt better after,” the Hurricanes winger told reporters with a laugh after the match. The wait on the bench had been almost as gruelling as the game itself. “I was sitting on the bench and nearly vomiting. I was like, I’m not even on the field yet, I can’t imagine what it’ll be like when I am on the field.”

Fineanganofo arrived at Test rugby on the back of a record-breaking Super Rugby season in which he set the competition mark for most tries in a single campaign. He also competed as a Sevens player at the 2024 Olympics. Despite that pedigree, nothing quite prepared him for the weight of the occasion, with his family watching from the stands.

The moment he got his first touch, however, the nerves dissolved. “I was still in shock, and then once I had my first touch of the ball, all the nerves just went, and I just realised I was in it,” he said. “I was just happy, and I want more. I’m hungry for more. I can’t wait.”

In his 12 minutes on the field, Fineanganofo made 13 metres from two carries, beat a defender, and completed all three of his tackles. He described the step up from Super Rugby as significant. “It was a huge step-up. The boys helped me out, and I found my footing.”

With New Zealand clinging to a two-point lead in the closing stages, the debutant kept his composure. “It was really physical. I was stuck in the middle, so I just had to put my head down and get to work. We did a great job to seal the deal.”

Family was a recurring theme throughout Fineanganofo’s post-match reflections. “I couldn’t believe it at first, but once I got on, I just couldn’t stop thinking about family and how proud they would be,” he said. Finding his relatives on the sidelines after the final whistle brought an emotional reunion. “They couldn’t stop crying, and I was just trying to keep strong and not cry outside. I’ll cry back in the changing room.”

All Blacks captain Ardie Savea expressed pride in all three debutants on the night — Fineanganofo, Xavier Numia, and Jamie Hannah.