DSPN - Devlin Sports Podcast Network
'Final's Footy Is Where We Truly Come Alive' | Leicester Faingaʻanuku Interview
05 Jun 2026
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Welcome to the DSPN.
The Devlin Sports Podcast Network. The ESPN, welcome to it. Well, again, what a treat this is. One of the real stars of the Crusaders, especially over the last few weeks. You know his name, you know he's changed positions. Lester Whanganuku joins us, head of the game tomorrow afternoon at Takaha, beautiful new stadium in Christchurch. Lester, thanks so much for joining us, mate.
Yes, thanks.
What a role the team is on at the moment. Your belting teams, you've won three games in a row against the New Zealand sides. I know you know that's averaging 40 points a game. Can you play any better, your team?
Look, I think that's the exciting part, right? Finals 40 is where you really want to show what you're really about as a squad and also as individuals. It's obviously the environment where you sort of want to thrive in as a whole. It's an environment where
your big-time players step up and also really goes to show how well you've been throughout the season to games like this, which really matters the most.
What happened after losing those two games in Oz against the Force and the Reds? Because the turnaround in form since then has been a real leap up.
Yeah, obviously we had a few ups and downs through the season. Obviously a lot of injuries and a few late changes until starting 15 at times sort of really tested us. But yeah, obviously that two losses on tour wasn't really what we wanted.
But I think it's sort of been a blessing in disguise sort of set us well to be able to head into this back end of our season with a few real confidence and obviously a lot of lessons learned throughout there. And yeah, look, it's been doing us a favour.
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Chapter 2: What insights does Leicester Faingaʻanuku share about his positional shift?
So yeah.
Do you feel like you've been playing almost knockout footy for the last few weeks in terms of every game has been a must win?
Look, we're crusaders, right? Final Four is where we truly come alive. For us, it's all about building throughout the season. And obviously through a few losses, a few results we didn't want, I think the great thing about our squad and our environment is that it's a blessing in disguise and it's something that really gets benefit for us moving forward.
And obviously it's done that for us so far this season. So, yeah.
yourself playing seven i mean there's obviously so much talk about this in fan land as well for a start what have you what have you learned about that position in the last few weeks and is it a position that you feel like you're going to continually have to learn yeah look um obviously it's a new chapter in my career that's for sure but um i think it's a vision i've had for a couple of years i think i'm someone that really likes to challenge myself and i guess also involve the game i think um
I think it's sort of normal up in the hemisphere, you know, in France, Africa. It's obviously quite rare here in New Zealand to be able to lead that. It's quite exciting for me. It's something I really take with true pride. And look, it's a rhyme that I'm learning every day. You know, it's something that just doesn't come in the snap of a finger. It's something that you sort of
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Chapter 3: How does Leicester reflect on the Crusaders' recent performance?
I guess keep chipping away at it. It's a craft that really takes a lot to master and so I've been quite thankful to have such the likes of Dan Perry and also Matt Todd right by my side to continue, I guess, working on that with me and yeah, look, I'm enjoying it, yeah.
Quite a famous number jersey, that jersey for the Crusaders, isn't it?
Oh yeah, it is and yeah, definitely don't take it for granted, that's for sure, so yeah.
What's the hardest bit about it? What's the hardest thing that it's taken you to learn playing seven?
I'd say it's a different, obviously it's a whole lot different perspective from being out on the midfield or on the wing. I think I just try to keep it simple and Tolly's been a massive driver there. It's just try to keep it as simple as I can.
It's just for me, just try to get involved as much as I can, wherever it is, whether it's in the breakdowns, ruck or out on the edges playing ball with the backs. And so, yes, to be able to keep that simplified is quite a benefit for me because it then makes it a bit more simpler to, I guess, nail my job and do my best I can for the team. So, yeah.
You feel like you are improving in that position and how do you personally measure that improvement?
Oh, I hope so. Yeah, look, I think it's, for me personally, it's obviously a bit hard to sort of put a rating on it at this stage. I just know if I can just nail my job, especially in the set piece for our big boys, I know they probably sell a lot on there around scrums, moors and line-out, that's the key. I try nailing Monday and Fridays that detail where I'm needed and where I'm not needed.
So it's all about that balance. And then, yeah, for me, every opportunity I get, ball and handle and defence, just try... try to put a statement out there and yeah look I think you know day footy is footy you know you run hard tackle hard and try to get across that white line as much as you can to get the result you want for your squad so yeah I'm enjoying it yeah.
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Chapter 4: What challenges did Leicester face after losses in Australia?
So yeah, look, it's something my body's still being conditioned to and yeah, look, enjoy the challenge every week. So yeah.
interesting that you say you know that they do it a lot in France and it's something that you experienced in France I mean I remember you playing on the left wing for us in Paris in the quarter final against Ireland you were such a beast in that position as well when you came back did you did you genuinely think that this would be the case that you would be this hybrid player did you or did you think I'm coming back to play a position yeah look um
obviously with the rarity offer i think the obviously the hybrid player a player that can cover both multiple position for me when i come back it was sort of yeah more set on the position uh so when i returned back to trails mainly in the midfields there but yeah obviously if my son in france having that multiple cover was where i was i guess uh given the job at where here in new zealand sort of
Not really a thing at the time. And yeah, look, it's sort of developed throughout the season. And thankfully, I've been lucky enough to have, I guess, coaching staff here that's truly seen the vision and obviously the confidence to be able to give me the opportunity to be able to showcase that. So yeah, look, it's something I'm truly grateful. And yeah, it's been doing me a favour. So yeah.
How many times did you actually do this in France? Because we heard all these reports that all of a sudden you're playing in the forwards, but it might be at the end of a game or something. How many times did you start? How many times did it actually happen?
I didn't get any starts, but it was the majority of games back in the last 40. I slipped into six, seven or eight. So just sort of, yeah, brought a bit of, I guess, energy throughout the pack. And yeah, look, like I said, I enjoy whatever coach needs me. I put my hand up and try to do a job for the boys.
Such a different mindset though, isn't it? How have you kind of felt that rearranging your headspace about playing on the wing and the duties that you have to perform? Box kicks, high balls, as I said, you might be sitting there and you may not get that much position. Absolute combat in this position.
Is it something that you've actually sat down and thought about a lot or is it something that you feel is just coming naturally to you when you're playing there?
Yeah, look, if I'm honest, honestly, Monday to Friday, my head's spinning. I could be in the four-pack, could be going for our line-outs and more and whatnot, but one half of my brain's also thinking about what the midfield strikes are, what the midfield's, I guess, key objective is towards the game we've got ahead, so... Yeah, I think that'll be probably the challenging part of my role.
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Chapter 5: How does Leicester prepare for knockout footy matches?
It's just do what I do best, and that's just play footy and just try to get involved as much as I can and, yeah, try to do the best job I can in my role for the boys. So, yeah.
It sounds as though you're enjoying it.
Yeah, look, it's enjoyable. But with that said, obviously it comes with a lot of, I guess, a lot of challenges. Like I said before, obviously the preparation it takes to be able to, I guess, get to that Saturday where 80 minutes can redefine, I guess, your performance and who you are as an athlete and something you enjoy every week.
And yeah, look, I'm not going to say it's easy, but it's definitely a challenge I enjoy. And thankfully I've got a good crew and a good team to be able to give me the tools I need to be able to execute that on weekends. So yeah.
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Past performance is not an indicator of future performance. Product disclosure statement available at generalfinance.co.nz. On this side of the microphone, you know, we look at things and I don't know how much time you guys have spent doing this, but we look at things like the last three results. You've beaten the Blues, the Chiefs, the Hurricanes.
You look at the Blues, they've lost to those three teams. And so form and momentum coming in, it all just shifts one way to you guys. How much of that do you consider before going into a game like this? Or do you wipe the slate clean and you just look at that blue side and go, okay, they got weapons. They're a champion team that won it two years ago.
We have to actually just drill down and just play this game tomorrow as itself rather than thinking about all that other stuff.
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Chapter 6: What has Leicester learned about playing as a loose forward?
And it's always, I think for us, it's a 0-0. It's a new game, it's a new side. And to be able to execute what you want in the weekend, you've first got to respect the opposition. And that's exactly what we're going for for the mindset this week is,
respecting the Blues and we know we understand finals 40 is different than any other game anything can happen momentums can shift and obviously penalty is one of those there's a lot to play I guess in finals and for us it's quite simple to respect our opposition and that allows us the opportunity throughout the week to be able to prepare as best as we can to be able to earn the right to earn another week so yeah Their loose forward trio comes with you know its own reputation doesn't it guys playing well Anton's played well you know Malakai's played well as well do you know those guys well?
Yeah, Anton, yeah, he's sort of like a little brother. So, yeah, went to school and everything. So, yeah, sort of talking about the wing once he arrived in New Zealand. So, yeah, it's always enjoyable, yeah.
Do you look at this Blues team and think that they are capable of an upset? Because it would be considered an upset, as I said, from this side of the microphone. I suppose the question is, are you wary of them?
Yeah, look, like I said before, you know, anything can happen in the finals footy. I think one thing we've made clear this week is that nothing's guaranteed. You know, the only thing that is guaranteed is the opportunity to be able to prepare and earn ourselves another week. And that's exactly where our mindset is. And yeah, look, like I said before, you know, it's opposition with respect.
And yeah, that's it.
And you get Ethan back as well. How important is that to you, playing alongside him?
Yeah, look, I think for those that do know Ethan, definitely know he's a massive part of our group. He's just your simple country man, obviously raised with basic values, and one of them is obviously the work ethic, and he's someone that just goes about his work. There's no 50-50 with Ethan here. I know he's just a straight, direct head-on.
So, look, to be able to play like him beside you definitely helps a lot, and it's something we enjoy having every week. So, yeah.
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