Samipeni Finau

BIOGRAPHY

All Black #1211

Born in Tonga and raised in New Zealand, Samipeni Finau is a powerful, athletic loose forward. A former fullback at St Peter’s School in Cambridge, he shifted to the loose forwards during his school years and quickly caught national attention, earning selection for the New Zealand Secondary Schools Barbarians in 2017.

After strong performances for Waikato in the 2020 NPC, Finau made his Super Rugby debut for the Chiefs in 2021. His combination of pace, power, and work rate made him an immediate standout at the professional level.

Finau enjoyed a breakout season with the Chiefs in 2023, playing 14 matches and scoring three tries as part of their run to the Super Rugby final. His performances earned him All Blacks selection, and he marked his Test debut against Australia in Dunedin with a memorable try.

Now an established Chiefs and All Blacks loose forward, Finau continues to develop his game, bringing energy, aggression, and skill to every contest.