The story behind new All Black Leicester Fainga’anuku’s name

Leicester Ofa Ki Wales Twickenham Fainga’anuku.

Good luck finding a more rugby name than that of the rookie All Black, who is set to debut against Ireland at Eden Park on Saturday night.

Fainga’anuku can thank his father, Malakai, a former Tongan international prop, who represented his country at the 1999 World Cup.

He helped Tonga to their famous win over Italy in Leicester during the group stage of the tournament, prompting him to name his second son after the city they triumphed in when he was born the following day.

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But Fainga’anuku’s father wasn’t done there.

He added Wales and Twickenham to his middle name. Wales because it was the primary host nation of the 1999 World Cup, and Twickenham because Tonga played England there four days later.

It wasn’t long before New Zealand became a part of their lives, with the family moving to South Auckland in the early 2000s.

It was there where Fainga’anuku fell in love with rugby league, before the family later moved south to Christchurch for his dad’s work.

Having gone close to committing to Christchurch Boys’ High School’s rugby programme, Fainga’anuku accepted a scholarship at Nelson College and went on to captain their first XV.

However, he was very nearly lost to union as the NRL’s Sydney Roosters dangled a contract in front of him.

Fainga’anuku had every intention of signing it, before his father convinced him to sign with the Tasman Mako as a 15-year-old.

“My old man never liked the game of league,” Fainga’anuku told the What a Lad podcast in 2020.

Having grown up a Counties Manukau and Chiefs fan, one who constantly sparred with his best friend – a Crusaders fan – Fainga’anuku went on to become a fully contracted Crusader ahead of the 2019 season.

He played just one match that year, before earning 11 caps (five starts) in 2020, the year he was named to play in the North v South trial match.

Fainga’anuku’s game went to another level last year, when he started 13 of 14 games, a chunk of them at centre as his versatility was highlighted.

He was considered unlucky by some not to make the All Blacks last year, before proving irresistible to head coach Ian Foster after scoring 10 tries during the Crusaders’ triumphant Super Rugby campaign this year.