Fineanganofo earns first All Blacks start after record-breaking Super Rugby season

Fehi Fineanganofo will make his first All Blacks start against Wales in Cardiff this weekend, five months after a Super Rugby Pacific campaign that announced him as one of the most electrifying backs in the southern hemisphere.

The 24-year-old winger set the single-season try-scoring record during the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season, crossing 17 times — including in a 60-5 grand final rout of the Chiefs — while also racking up 24 clean breaks and beating 50 defenders across the campaign. He has since made his Test debut off the bench in Christchurch, playing 12 minutes, but Saturday represents a different kind of milestone.

“I guess it’s just as special as a debut, your first start. I’m just excited to get out there,” Fineanganofo told reporters in Cardiff.

The road to this point has not been straightforward. Since the Super Rugby final, Fineanganofo has navigated a concussion, a hamstring injury, and contract renegotiations with Newcastle Red Bulls to protect his All Blacks eligibility ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup. He watched on from the sidelines during Tests against Italy, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, and Scotland, admitting he had “definitely” been itching to return.

Now back in the selection picture, the former All Blacks Sevens ace is clear on what he wants to contribute. “I just hope to bring some X-factor, some power, speed. So hopefully do that on the weekend — and hopefully some tries.”

Despite the bravado of his Super Rugby numbers, Fineanganofo remains candid about the step up in intensity at Test level. He admitted to throwing up at halftime during his debut such was his nerves, and he is under no illusions about what awaits him in Cardiff. “There’s a lot of speed, a lot of physicality in Test rugby. I guess I just want another taste of that physicality this weekend and to test myself.”

One specific challenge will be managing Wales’s aerial game. New Zealand’s defensive structure typically asks wingers to track back and contest high balls, freeing the fullback to sweep behind. Fineanganofo has already done his homework. “We’ve done a bit of a preview of their kicks, and most of them are contestable. So hopefully I can get them back for the team.”