Chiefs star Etene Nanai-Seturo to depart for France after Super Rugby Pacific season
Monday, 16 March 2026
Chiefs star Etene Nanai-Seturo is the latest New Zealand rugby player to join the offshore exodus.
The electric outside back with the big left boot will leave for France at the end of the Super Rugby Pacific season after signing a three-year deal (till June 2029) with ASM Clermont Auvergne.
The 26-year-old has notched 67 caps, and scored 21 tries, for the Chiefs since his debut in 2019, and has also played 42 NPC matches for Counties Manukau, and made three appearances for the All Blacks XV, including two last year.
However, the former New Zealand sevens rep ‒ who was part of the Olympic silver-medal-claiming team in 2021, and the Commonwealth Games gold-medal-winning team in 2018, the latter soon after an ugly tug-of-war between New Zealand Rugby and the Warriors, who Nanai-Seturo had been in the midst of a five-year contract with ‒ figured he was now going to be up against it to break into the All Blacks setup.
“That’s everyone’s dream when they play in New Zealand, I’ve always wanted to play for the All Blacks,” he said, after his French deal was announced on Monday.
“[But] I feel like everything happens for a reason. The players they [the All Blacks] have, man, they’ve been playing unreal footy for the last couple of seasons.
“You’ve got Will Jordan at the back, who’s a freak, D-Mac [Damian McKenzie], also Leroy [Carter] and Ronzo [Emoni Narawa] in there, and you’ve got [Caleb] Tangitau who’s coming up as well, I’ve enjoyed playing with Tangi at [All Blacks] XVs, he’s a freak and I’m sure he’ll be in that picture.
“I just feel like it’s my time to go… just felt like I needed a change… I guess everyone is running their own race, I’ve got to do what’s best for me, what’s best for my partner.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead, very excited, but I’ve just got to make the most of it here with the boys.
“I’m definitely going to miss the group, miss the culture that we have here, and miss running out at FMG [Stadium Waikato].”
Nanai-Seturo will join a Clermont club who his cousin and fellow former Chief Tim Nanai-Williams played with (2018-2021), and which was also where Chiefs coach Jono Gibbes spent two recent stints, as forwards coach from 2014-2017 and head coach from 2021 before his sacking in 2023.
Clermont, who last won the Top 14 title in 2017, sit fifth midway through the current season, and have another former Chief on their books in Pita Gus Sowakula, a good friend of Nanai-Seturo’s, as well as fellow former capped All Blacks George Moala and Harry Plummer, who is now captain.
Nanai-Seturo’s signature continues the club’s recruitment drive from down under, having recently also picked up former Wallabies and Brumbies, now Force, lock Darcy Swain, and Blues midfielder AJ Lam, another man Nanai-Seturo noted he is close to.
“He’s a player we’ve had our eye on for a while now, Clermont coach Christophe Urios admitted, in a statement, of the Chiefs speedster’s acquisition.
“Etene is a pure talent, a player capable of attacking space and bringing a lot of dynamism and speed to our backline. He’s a spectacular guy who can bring a thrill to the stadium, something our game needs.”
Nanai-Seturo’s move continues the wave of ‘next-tier’ talent leaving these shores for Europe, with the past few months having also seen Hoskins Sotutu, Dallas McLeod, Fehi Fineanganofo, Pouri Rakete-Stones (all England), Sevu Reece, Dalton Papali’i, Braydon Ennor (all France), and Isaia Walker-Leawere (Italy) announce their departures.
Having floated between left wing and fullback during his time at the Chiefs, Nanai-Seturo, who missed most of last season with hamstring and calf injuries, has this year begun in the No 15 jersey following Shaun Stevenson’s exit to Japan, starting the first three games before being left out of the pre-bye win over Moana Pasifika.
The Chiefs, who are back in action on Friday night against the Brumbies in Canberra, already have another backline hole to fill next year, with first-five Josh Jacomb off to the Highlanders, though they will welcome back midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown from his sabbatical in Japan.