Rising NZ rugby star dies in car crash: ‘One of our tallest trees has fallen’ . The 25-year-old rising star died in a single-vehicle accident when his vehicle hit a tree, police said.
Wainui, who won the U20 World Cup with New Zealand in 2015, played at centre and at wing and made his Super Rugby debut with the Crusaders in 2016 before moving to the Chiefs in 2018.
Tributes were pouring in from the New Zealand rugby community on Monday morning.
“One of Rugby New Zealand’s tallest totara trees has fallen in the world of rugby. To you Sean, our Rangatira, we farewell you to the outspread arms of the multitudes who await you beyond this earthly realm. You leave us here bereft and drown in sorrow as we weep for you. Rest well in peaceful repose,” an official All Blacks statement read.
NZ Rugby CEO Mark Robinson gave his condolences to Wainui’s wife Paige and their children Kawariki and Arahia.
“Our thoughts are with Sean and his whanau, particularly Paige, Kawariki and Arahia, and we offer them our full support at what is the most difficult of times,” he said.
“We know Sean’s passing will be felt deeply by everyone involved in rugby, particularly his Bay of Plenty and Chiefs teammates, and we share their sorrow and their shock.”
The All Blacks’ pulling power in the northern hemisphere and the imbalance of rugby’s quid-pro-quo international revenue arrangement have been placed under the spotlight by Wales rugby boss Steve Phillips.
Phillips, chief executive of the Welsh Rugby Union, has revealed his union is set to earn between £3-4 million (NZ$5.8-7.8 million) from the test against Ian Foster’s touring Wales vs All Blacks at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Sunday, October 31 (NZT).-
The match will follow the northern tour opener against the USA at Washington DC’s FedEx Field on Sunday (NZT) and falls outside World Rugby’s mandated three-week international release window.
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