Leicester Fainga'anuku

Leicester Fainga'anuku established himself as one of Super Rugby's most destructive wide runners during his time with the Crusaders. Born on 11 October 1999 into a prominent rugby family, the New Zealand-born winger and outside back combined genuine power with surprising pace, making him a constant gain-line threat and a difficult man to bring down in the wider channels. His ball-carrying and finishing made him a key figure in the Crusaders' sustained run of Super Rugby Pacific success, and his form earned him a call-up to the All Blacks in 2022. Where many wingers rely solely on speed, Fainga'anuku's value lay in his physicality — he was as comfortable bumping off defenders and generating front-foot momentum as he was beating them on the outside. That blend of size, footwork and finishing ability marked him out as a powerful strike runner capable of changing the momentum of a match, and a player whose carrying gave his side reliable go-forward.