Waratahs captain reacts to Leicester Fainga’anuku’s shock flanker switch

Defending Super Rugby Pacific champions the Crusaders made a surprise selection call this week by naming utility Leicester Fainga’anuku at openside flanker, which follows three consecutive starts at outside centre.

Fainga’anuku will follow in the footsteps of Richie McCaw, Matt Todd and Tom Christie by wearing the famed No. 7 jersey of the Crusaders when the team takes the field for their first-ever home game at One New Zealand Stadium.

The now 26-year-old started out in the professional ranks as a winger for the Crusaders during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, which eventually led to All Blacks honours. Coach Ian Foster named the All Blacks debutant on the left wing for a clash with Ireland on July 2, 2022.

After Men’s Rugby World Cup 2023, Fainga’anuku joined French juggernauts Toulon, quickly establishing himself as one of the elite midfielders in the Top 14. Fainga’anuku even finished some matches in the loose forwards, and that versatility will be on show this week.

Crusaders coach Rob Penney has named Fainga’anuku at openside for the round 11 clash with the NSW Waratahs. Tahs captain Matt Philip is looking forward to seeing what Fainga’anuku can do in the loose forwards this season, but hopes “it doesn’t go too well” this time.

“Leicester’s a super strong, powerful ball carrier. It probably gives him the license to roam around the field a little bit more and he’s also really strong over the ball,” Philip told RugbyPass in Christchurch.

“I’m pretty keen to see what he can as well. I think it’s pretty exciting to see these utility players being used in various teams right now. It probably shows where rugby is going, coaches thinking a little bit differently.

“Hats off to them, I think it’s a cool idea. Hopefully it doesn’t go too well tomorrow night but for the rest of the season, it’ll be cool to see how that goes.”

Fainga’anuku will line up opposite Charlie Gamble, who is a product of Christchurch school St Bede’s College, which is where the Tahs trained on Thursday. Gamble joins Angus Scott-Young and Pete ‘Pistol’ Samu in the starting Waratahs backrow.

Samu became a Super Rugby champions during a memorable stint with the Crusaders, before heading across the ditch to join the ACT Brumbies. The Wallaby later won a European title with Union Bordeaux Begles, who beat Scott-Young’s then-team the Northampton Saints.

Waratahs rake Ioane Moananu is another former Crusader, having swapped out the iconic red jersey for cambridge blue this season. Moananu will look to provide impact off the bench, with Wallaby Folau Faingaa named to start.

“[Gamble] is trying to play it pretty lowkey. We’re trying to get a few little stories here and there of his heyday back here and also ‘Pistol’ Pete Samu, Ioane [Moananu] as well. They’re not foreign to these areas,” Philip said.

“I’ll be trying to stand near them and try and get some street cred around Christchurch.”

15 years on from the devastating Christchurch earthquakes, the Crusaders have moved from their temporary home at Apollo Projects Stadium to the new state-of-the-art venue. One New Zealand Stadium will host five Super Round matches from April 24 to 26.

But there’s an added sense of occasion ahead of this round 11 blockbuster, with the sixth-place Crusaders looking to maintain their playoff position against the Waratahs, who currently sit just outside the finals bracket in seventh.

“Every week is important, especially the last quarter of the season now. But as you say, it is six versus seven, that is in the back of our minds,” he added.

“We’ve got to put that to the side and just do our job.”