Former warrior Mason Lino sets world rugby league goalscoring record

Former Warriors half-back Mason Lino set a World Rugby Union Super League kicking record.

The Samoan international scored his 36th consecutive conversion in Wakefield Trinity’s 44-12 victory over Hull FC last weekend to break the world record jointly held by former NRL Bulldogs player Hazem El Masri and the ex-Kiwi star Henry Paul.

Lino crossed the mark when he converted James Batchelor’s try in the 15th minute, but his streak ended when he failed to add the extra points after captain Jacob Miller touched the ground in the 26th minute.

However, Aucklander, 27, had arranged a tryout for Kelepi Tanginoa after a wild run and was instrumental in many of Wakefield’s best attacks.

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Lino, who played 17 NRL games for the Warriors and 17 more for the Newcastle Knights, joined Wakefield Trinity this season on a three-year contract.

He was named in the Combined NRL and Super of Sky Sports League Team of the Week for its scoring record and its role in organizing several Trinity tries.

Lino’s form may have helped another ex-Warrior – interim coach Willie Poching – land the head coach job next season.

Wakefield has won five of the seven games since Poching took over following Chris Chester’s sacking last month.

Poching, a one-cap Kiwi who captained Samoa in the 2000 Rugby Union World Cup, wants the top job permanently but respects the Yorkshire club taking their time to take a decision.

“I waited a long time to get a chance, to get a taste of it,” he said. Yorkshire Post.

“I enjoyed it immensely, I learned that this is something I want to do.”

Meanwhile, former Lino Warriors teammate mainstay Sebastine Ikahihifo is on the move within the Super League next season.

The 30-year-old – who played in Auckland between 2012 and 2015 – returns to the Huddersfield Giants after a loan spell with the Salford Red Devils.

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Ikahihifo played 39 NRL games for the Warriors before joining Huddersfield in 2016.

He made the Super League Dream squad in 2017, but in 2020 he was loaned to Salford, playing in the Red Devils’ Challenge Cup final loss to the Leeds Rhinos.

Former Salford coach Ian Watson, who brought Ikahihifo to the Red Devils, is now in Huddersfield and wants the great Kiwi back in his books.

“It feels good to be back, I still live here and it’s good to be home,” said Ikahihifo, who had remained alive in Huddersfield.

“I can’t wait to work with Ian Watson again – he’s one of the smartest coaches I’ve worked with and he uses me really well.”

Watson said Ikahihifo was “one of the best rowers in the competition a few years ago and we felt like we were putting him back to his best at Salford and he has been close to his best this season. It’s a great addition.

Ikahihifo could help fill the void left by compatriot Kiwi Kenny Edwards, whom Huddersfield lends to Super League rivals Castleford Tigers next season.

Edwards, 32, has been banned for 10 games and fined £ 500 ($ 974) this year for ‘another offense of contrary behavior’ after appearing to put his fingers behind the back of the Catalans Dragons’ Kiwi mainstay, Sam Kasiano.

Edwards, born in Levin, played in the NRL for the Parramatta Eels before moving to Europe in 2018 to join the Catalans Dragons, whom he helped win the Challenge Cup final in his first year.

He was then transferred to Huddersfield, and before his ban this year, he played for the United Nations All Star team which beat the England national team.