Tima Faingaʻanuku

Lotima Taufo'ou Fainga'anuku (born 26 April 1997) is a Tongan rugby union player who currently plays for North Harbour in the Bunnings NPC. He usually plays in the Wing or Centre positions.

Tima Fainga'anuku

Full name	Lotima Taufo'ou Fainga'anuku
Date of birth	(1997-04-26) 26 April 1997 (age 28)
Place of birth	Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight	105 kg (16 st 7 lb; 231 lb)
School	Nelson College
Notable relative(s)	Leicester Fainga'anuku (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Centre Current team North Harbour Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2016–2020 Tasman 42 (40) 2018–2019 Perpignan 14 (15) 2021–2023 Manawatu 24 (30) 2024– North Harbour 7 (5) Correct as of 11 June 2025 Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 2018 Crusaders 2 (0) 2020 Highlanders 2 (0) 2022–2023 Moana Pasifika 14 (20) Correct as of 11 June 2025 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2017 New Zealand U20 7 (15) 2022– Tonga 9 (10) Correct as of 11 June 2025 National sevens team Years Team Comps 2018 New Zealand 1 Correct as of 11 June 2025

Early career

Fainga'anuku was educated at Nelson College from 2011 to 2015.^[1] He was a part of the New Zealand Under 20s winning team over England Under 20s 64–17 in the 2017 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.^[1]

Senior career

Early Career

Fainga'anuku started his senior career at Tasman in 2016. He made his Super Rugby debut for the Crusaders in their 34–20 win over the Chiefs in Round 16, 2018.^[2][3] Tima was named in the Highlanders 2020 squad after Connor Garden-Bachop had to withdraw because of injury. He was part of the Mako side that won the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup.

2021-2024

In June 2021, it was announced that Fainga'anuku would be switching his international eligibility to Tonga using the Olympic loophole, representing Tonga Sevens at the 2020 Men's Rugby Sevens Final Olympic Qualification Tournament, however due to quarantining issues relating to the COVID-19 pandemic he was unable to play.^[4] Fainga'anuku made the move to Manawatu on a 2 year deal.^[5] In May 2022 he was named in the Tonga national squad.

Fainga'anuku was re-called into the 'Ikale Tahi side for the 2024 end-of-year rugby union internationals, after leaving Manawatu to join North Harbour.