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All Blacks fans rally around excluded star Laumape as squad announcement incites disbelief
By Online Editors
The All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad announcement included some high-profile omissions, leaving 108-test prop Owen Franks out.
The most emotional response from All Blacks fans, however, came from hearing that barnstorming Hurricane Ngani Laumape missed out in a crowded midfield that included Sonny Bill Williams, Ryan Crotty, Jack Goodhue and Anton Lienert-Brown.
Crotty has not played a test match this year since breaking his thumb during Super Rugby, while Williams returned to the All Blacks against the Springboks after months on the sidelines.
The decision to leave Laumape at home was labelled 'surprising', 'embarrassing', and met with angry reactions on social media.
Steve Hansen extended his sympathies to those that missed out, reiterating that the decision to leave players out wasn't based on ability only the limited number of spots available.
“As always, we’d also like to take a moment to respect the effort and disappointment of those who’ve missed out," he said at Eden Park.
“It’s a tough time in anyone’s career.
“The selectors wanted to point out that it wasn’t a case of anyone not being good enough to be selected, but more the fact that we can only take 31, so there was always go to be some very talented athletes that would miss out.
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Latest Comments
The problem is the officiating & changing rulings,& TMOs.Last weekend I saw a 9 penalized for a crooked scrum feed! the last time I saw that rule applied was In about 1975!!!!!!!!.Late or not the incident is history & Australians alleging that Kiwi rugby supporters wear eye patches is a bit rich.Try listening to Australian Commentators.Every new player who has an above average game is suddenly the next great sensation.
Go to commentsEvery Irish fan in the stadium celebrated like they had won the tournament after the SA and Scotland games so yeah, the way Etzebeth tells it stacks up. It was definitely ‘In Their Heads’!
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