WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — England-bound winger Fehi Fineanganofo equaled the Super Rugby season try-scoring record Saturday with his 16th try in the Hurricanes’ 47-24 win over the Blues in round 14.
Finaenganofo shares the record with former ACT Brumbies winger Joe Roff who scored 16 tries in 1997 and ex-Hurricanes winger Ben Lam in 2018. He has the chance to set a new mark in the Wellington-based Hurricanes’ final regular-season matches against the Highlanders and the Crusaders.
The 23-year-old will join England club Newcastle after the Super Rugby season on a two-year-contract. New Zealand Rugby has rejected calls from fans to help pay out Fineanganofo’s contract to allow him to play for the All Blacks this year.
“We don’t really do that,” newly-appointed NZR chief executive told the Rugby Direct podcast. “These are player choices.”
“There’s nothing stopping Fehi from doing that but it’s not a space we get into, looking to buy players out of contracts. Things have changed a lot for him since the end of last year. He’s taken every opportunity he’s been given so good on him. He’s made a decision. If he has a change of heart, that’s absolutely up to him.”
The Hurricanes’ win over the Auckland-based Blues lifted them five points clear of the Hamilton-based Chiefs atop the table with two regular season rounds remaining. The Blues slipped back to third place, six points adrift of the Chiefs.
The Christchurch-based Crusaders, ACT Brumbies and Queensland Reds complete the top six.
____
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby