Sean Wainui Biography – Sean Wainui Wiki
Sean Wainui was a New Zealand rugby union player who played in the centre and sometimes wing position for the provincial side Bay of Plenty, the Chiefs in Super Rugby, and for New Zealand’s Māori international side the Māori All Blacks. He started as a member of the Takapuna Grammar School 1st XV in 2011, 2012 and 2013. He was awarded North Harbour’s 2013 Māori Colts Senior Player of the Year whilst still in school. Also an ex Takapuna Grammar Prefect and 1st XV Captain, Wainui represented New Zealand on the world stage after playing for the Champion New Zealand team in the Under 20 Rugby World Cup in Italy. The team played England for the title, winning 21–16.
After his studies, he signed a contract with the Taranaki Rugby Football Union. In his first year out of school, he was a part of Taranaki’s 2014 national provincial championship squad. He was spotted by coach Colin Cooper and had signed with Taranaki at just 18-years-old after an impressive season, not only for his New Plymouth Old Boys club but for the Chiefs development side also. He made his debut for Taranaki in the 2014 ITM Cup competition, coming on as a replacement against Waikato.
He made an impression in 2015, and his performance didn’t go unnoticed by the national media or the Super Rugby coaches. He recorded nine appearances and scored three tries for the province that year. Overall, between 2014 and 2020, Wainui made 49 appearances for Taranaki and scored 15 tries.
In 2015 he was signed by the Super Rugby franchise the Crusaders after impressing in the centre and wing position for Taranaki. Wainui made his debut for the Crusaders in round one of the 2016 Super Rugby competition, beginning in the outside centre position against the Chiefs.
At 19, Wainui was called up to the New Zealand U-20 team in 2015, making 4 appearances. Although the then 19-year-old Wainui had only played several matches for Taranaki, Colin Cooper, the Māori All Blacks coach, selected him for the 2015 tour to Fiji, playing against the national side, and ending against the specially made New Zealand Barbarians. Overall he was capped 10 times
Before the 2018 Super Rugby season, he signed with the Chiefs. By the end of the 2021 Super Rugby season, he made 44 appearances for the club and had scored 18 tries. On June 12, 2021, in a 40-7 victory over the Waratahs during Super Rugby Trans-Tasman, he became the first player in Super Rugby history to score 5 tries in a single match.
He made an announcement on Instagram on May 27, 2021, that he had signed with Bay of Plenty for the 2021 NPC.
Sean Wainui Age
Sean was born on October 23, 1995, in Whatatutu, New Zealand and died on October 18, 2021, in McLaren Falls, New Zealand. He was 25.
Sean Wainui Wife
He married his wife, Paige Fox Wainui in September 2020 and remained married until his death on October 18, 2021, at the age of 25. His wife is a professional cosmetic nurse. He proposed to her on December 15, 2018.
Sean Wainui Children
He had two children. His biological son Kawariki Te Raiona Wainui was born on May 20, 2019, and his foster daughter Arahia Te Ahikaaroa Turia-Fox was born on March 28, 2014, from his wife’s previous relationship.
Sean Wainui Death
Wainui died in a tragic accident at about 7:50 am on October 18, 2021, when the car that he was driving crashed into a tree near Tauranga. He was 25 years of age. Police were alerted to the single-vehicle crash around 7.50 am at McLaren Falls Park, near Tauranga. The sole occupant of the vehicle died at the scene, a police statement said.
Maori All Blacks, Chiefs and former Bay of Plenty head coach Clayton McMillan said, “He was an influential member in the teams he has been a part of and his presence will be missed. He epitomised everything you could possibly ask for in a player. He will be remembered for being a passionate, hard-working, proud Maori who was an exceptional player but more importantly father and husband.”
New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson said. “We know Sean’s passing will be felt deeply by everyone involved in rugby, particularly his Bay of Plenty and Chiefs team-mates and we share their sorrow and their shock.” He asked the media to give the Wainui family “space to grieve as we all reflect on a young life that has ended far too early”.
Sean Wainui Cause of Death
Wainui tragically died at about 7:50 am on 18 October 2021, when the car that he was driving crashed into a tree near Tauranga. He was 25 years of age.
Sean Wainui Height
He stood at a listed height of 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 meters) tall. He also weighed up to 102 kilograms.
Sean Wainui Instagram
His Instagram handle was @seanwainui.
