Chiefs Super Rugby star Sean Wainui dies in car accident

By STEVE McMORRAN
AP Sports Writer

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Sean Wainui, a rising star of Super Rugby with the Hamilton-based Chiefs, has died in an auto accident. He was 25 and the father of two children. His death has been confirmed by family members and by New Zealand Rugby which said “one of New Zealand Rugby’s tallest Totara trees has fallen.” Wainui played 44 matches for the Chiefs from 2018. He also played nine times for the Christchurch-based Crusaders and was a New Zealand Maori representative from 2015.