insiderblmNew Zealand rugby player Sean Wainui has died in a car crash.
Police said the 25-year-old, a former under-20 international, was killed in a single-vehicle accident when his car hit a tree near Tauranga.
Wainui played 10 times for the Maori All Blacks and made 44 Super Rugby appearances for the Waikato Chiefs.
In June, he scored five tries against the NSW Waratahs – setting the record for the most tries by a player in a single Super Rugby match.
He also played for Bay of Plenty during the 2021 provincial rugby season.
New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson said the father-of-two’s death was “a dark day for rugby”.
“Sean’s passing will be felt deeply by everyone involved in rugby, particularly his Bay of Plenty and Chiefs team-mates,” he said in a statement.
“We share their sorrow and their shock.”
Former All Black Sonny Bill Williams paid tribute on social media.
