Jordie Barrett: 'What happens between now and June, I'm not sure'

All New Zealand fans are asking themselves the same question as Fehi Fineanganofo continues to dazzle on the Super Rugby Pacific stage in 2026: Can we keep him?

Fineanganofo became the first player to score three hat-tricks in a single Super Rugby Pacific season on Saturday night in Christchurch, touching down four times in the Hurricanes’ Super Round showdown with the Brumbies. The match brought the winger’s season tally to 14, just two shy of the all-time record for tries in a season, with five games remaining in the regular season alone.

All of that is typically a cause of immense excitement for the All Blacks faithful, but as has been discussed ad nauseam throughout the former All Blacks Sevens flyer’s breakthrough season, the national outfit will have to wait at least two years before Fineanganofo is eligible for selection due to a signed, sealed and delivered two-season contract with Newcastle Red Bulls.

Having again led the game in linebreaks and tries in the round 11 contest, the first question put to Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw post-match was inevitably whether there was a way of keeping Fineanganofo in the country.

“I’m not sure, do you want to chip in? We might need a bit of Jordie’s sabbatical (money),” the coach quipped in response, with Barrett sitting beside him.

“It would be nice to keep him here, wouldn’t it? Just for the competition, forget higher honours. For us and for the competition, he’s genuine X-factor, isn’t he? He’s his own highlight reel most weeks.

“Who knows, he might be back. He’s only 23; his best rugby is ahead of him. Hopefully, he goes to the Red Bulls and continues to improve because he’s a good young man, I’ve known him since he was 18, and it’s nice to see him playing the way he is.”

Player Line Breaks

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Fehi Fineanganofo

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Ruben Love

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Corey Toole

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The competition leader in clean breaks and metres gained coming into Super Round, Fineanganofo’s first-half hat-trick wasn’t enough to avoid some stern words from Laidlaw at the break.

“He’s pretty devastating when he gets the ball in hand and gets half an opportunity. He got a little bit of a hurry-up at halftime. If I’m being honest, I felt like his off-the-ball stuff wasn’t where it needed to be. He responded really well in the second half.

“CJ (Cory Jane) and the backs coaches have done a really awesome job with him. It’s only his second year in Super Rugby, but he’s a handful when he gets space and gets a one-on-one for sure.”

Hurricanes co-captain Jordie Barrett suggested starting a GoFundMe to keep the 23-year-old in Hurricanes colours, and said there was a big emphasis on himself and the players inside Fineanganofo to get the ball wide.

“Our job is to get him the ball. You give Fin opportunities, sometimes in today’s game, in a one-on-one with a bit of space, he’s as good as you get with some really organised defences,” Barrett said.

“Last week, we probably didn’t get him enough ball, and we were limited in our opportunities through our own doing.  So it was pleasing to give him a few opportunities, and a lot of that was on the back of some good defence tonight.

“It’s pleasing, all of our outside backs are going really well, and it comes off the back of their hard work and getting in the position to take opportunities.”

Barrett was also asked if he had personally given Fineanganofo some prompts to reconsider his next deal.

“He gets the odd jab in the ribs and an arm around him to stay, but that’s ultimately up to him. As a player in New Zealand, we’d love to have him. Plain and simple. But Fehi’s made a decision for him and his family, and what happens between now and June, I’m not sure.”