It’s the kind of Cinderella story that has Crusaders fans buzzing and All Blacks selectors scratching their heads. Leicester Fainga’anuku, a natural-born finisher on the wing or in the center, has pulled off a stunning positional switch to the openside flank — and by all accounts, he’s been the Crusaders’ most impactful player during their 2026 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
But according to sources close to the situation, there’s a catch. According to former All Blacks captain and legendary No. 8 Kieran Read, the transformation is not quite ready for prime time on the international stage. Speaking exclusively on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast, Read dropped what insiders are calling a bombshell assessment of Fainga’anuku’s current ceiling.
The Transition That Surprised Everyone
When Crusaders head coach Rob Penney strapped the No. 7 jersey on Fainga’anuku for the first time this season — against the Waratahs in the Super Round — the move was met with raised eyebrows. Fainga’anuku had spent the bulk of his career terrorizing defenses from the back three or midfield. But Penney’s gamble paid off spectacularly, with Fainga’anuku crossing for a try and delivering an all-action performance in a 35-20 win.
Since then, the 27-year-old has become a mainstay on the openside flank, turning heads with his physicality and relentless work rate. Fans and analysts alike have started whispering about a potential All Blacks call-up. But Read — who knows a thing or two about what it takes to wear the black jersey in the loose forwards — isn’t buying the hype just yet.
‘He’s Missing Things’
“I think loosie, or potentially on the left wing, are great positions for him,” Read said. “Is he an All Black seven? No. I watch him and you see these things that he does in his game as a seven. At the top level, he’s missing them. Getting off the scrum, being able to work around the corner and put himself in positions to be able to have impacts. There are things there that he’ll need to work on.”
According to sources close to the All Blacks coaching staff, the concern is that Fainga’anuku’s current skill set — while devastating at Super Rugby level — may not hold up against the elite breakdown work and positional discipline required in Test rugby. “You might just miss a couple of key things around the breakdown and stuff,” Read noted. “That’s pretty important.”
The French Detour and Early Struggles
Fainga’anuku’s path back to form has been anything but smooth. After a standout World Cup campaign in 2023 where he was arguably the All Blacks’ best winger, he took a lucrative two-year stint with Top 14 side Toulon. But sources say that when he returned to New Zealand this season, he seemed to have lost his edge. Read did not mince words: “At the start of the season, Leicester couldn’t find his feet. He was dropping balls. He wasn’t having an impact.”
“He’s not a center that’s going to create space and use vision and great voice — which is what you need here in New Zealand,” Read added, revealing the frustration that some insiders claim had been building behind the scenes.
A New Home on the Flank?
Despite the doubts, Read is clearly impressed by what he sees. “I think it’s great,” he said. “Put him into the loose forwards. Let him play exactly how he’s been playing for the last wee while. He’s having great impacts.”
In fact, sources say the Crusaders’ coaching staff is so pleased with the experiment that they’ve made the flanker role a permanent part of his game plan. But the big question remains: can he make the leap to the All Blacks? “If you’re an All Black coach, you go, ‘Okay, you need this guy on the field somehow,’” Read said. “But I’m not sure if you go to the next level, it’s totally different whether he could do the same thing.”
What Happens Next?
With the All Blacks’ next Test series looming, all eyes are on whether Fainga’anuku can close the gap. Insiders say the coaching staff is reportedly monitoring his progress closely, but no guarantees are being made. For now, the Crusaders’ best player is a man without a clear position — and that, sources say, is both his greatest strength and his biggest weakness.
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