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How Tony Brown kept potential Highlanders bolter from leaving New Zealand for France
By Online Editors
Returning Highlanders assistant coach Tony Brown is the reason that the club's newest recruit Tima Fainga'anuku decided to stay in New Zealand rather than resume his playing career in France.
The 22-year-old winger was drafted into Aaron Mauger's squad last week as an injury replacement for youngster Connor Garden-Bachop, who will miss the entirety of next season after undergoing surgery to fix a troublesome back injury.
Fainga'anuku's rise into the Dunedin-based franchise came after an impressive Mitre 10 Cup campaign with his native Tasman side, which went on an undefeated run to the Premiership title this year.
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His barnstorming form for the Mako came after he missed out on a Super Rugby contract this year, despite having made an appearance for the Crusaders during their title-winning season in 2018.
Fainga'anuku's omission from Scott Robertson's squad forced him to look at playing options abroad, and he surprised many by taking up an offer to move to France, where he joined Perpignan on a short-term deal for the 2018-19 European domestic campaign.
He returned to New Zealand this year, but despite his improved displays in the Mitre 10 Cup, another full-time Super Rugby contract went begging upon the announcements of next year's squads last month.
That was until Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark called Fainga'anuku with an offer to replace Garden-Bachop, but with a return to France on the table - albeit in the Pro D2 following Perpignan's relegation from the Top 14 last season - it was something the former New Zealand U20 representative took some time to consider.
"It was a pretty tough decision [to stay in New Zealand]," he told Stuff. "I really enjoyed France. I really loved not just France but Europe.
"I enjoyed my time overseas. I learnt so much off the field. It's just a good life experience.
"After the New Zealand U20s if you don't get picked up [by Super Rugby teams] there is an in between.
"I felt like a good enough player to just be playing. I didn't want to sit around. Rugby's just a game for me. I just love playing it and meeting new people, I just wanted to play."
However, Fainga'anuku revealed that the presence of Tony Brown in the Highlanders' coaching ranks in 2020 was enough to persuade him to relocate to Dunedin rather than move back to Europe.
"Tony Brown is a legend," he said. "When the opportunity came up I had a think about it but that motivated me, just to sponge up from him."
"He's sort of like a guru," Fainga'anuku said to Stuff of Brown. "A few of the boys kick with their dominant foot and struggle with their other foot.
"But we had one kicking session and most of the boys now feel comfortable kicking off their least dominant foot. I'm not sure how he does it.
"I think he just puts so much behind making people better that it works."
After shedding eight kilos from his 115kg frame since linking up with his new teammates over pre-season, the explosive Fainga'anuku is eyeing up a match against his younger brother, Leicester, in the Highlanders' pre-season fixture against the Crusaders in Wanaka on January 24.
After having grown up in the Crusaders' region before being axed by the back-to-back-to-back reigning Super Rugby champions, there should be no lack of motivation for Fainga'anuku as he prepares to face his former side, although he bears no grudges.
"I didn't really get an opportunity but I felt like I learnt a lot," he said.
"When the Highlanders opportunity came up I looked as it as fresh start. It's been a bit of a ride for me in my career."
The Crusaders clash in Central Otago is one of two pre-season fixtures for the Highlanders, with the first of which coming against the Waratahs in Sydney a week beforehand.
The Highlanders will then get their regular season underway against the Sharks at Forsyth Barr Stadium on February 7.
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Latest Comments
Excellent points Mz. Because of other commitments I have just watched the game.
Interesting watching it after reading all the news reports especially in the English media. I was expecting to see a game that the ABs were very lucky to win. What I saw was a game that England showed their tactical incompetence and their inability to construct any try scoring opportunities.
They can go on deluding themselves that they were unlucky to lose ( as Borthwick said post match ) but until they stop relying on rush defence and goal kicking to win I feel they're doomed to be ranked 4 or 5 in the world.
Can't wait until the weekend to see how the Wallabies go against them
Though I dare say Walter will be hoping for an England win.
Go to commentsIF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.
As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.
Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).
This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.
If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.
Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.
After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.
Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.
Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)
Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.
Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.
Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.
Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:
Seeding Band 1
IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG
Seeding Band 2
SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO
Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6
Strongest pool opponent: FIJI
1/8 final opponent GEORGIA
Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond
Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6
Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA
1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND
Prognosis: You know the prognosis
I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?
Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.
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