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Last chance saloon for Ngani Laumape?
By Online Editors
Patrick McKendry / NZ Herald
One of the more surprising aspects of the Hurricanes' relatively close quarter-final victory over the Bulls was how well the visitors contained second-five Ngani Laumape, a player with 11 tries this season but who hardly fired an attacking shot last weekend.
Laumape is the Hurricanes' go-to guy in terms of providing them momentum against rush defences. The Crusaders will certainly provide that as they seek to again disrupt Beauden Barrett and so there will be an expectation that Laumape will buy the visitors time and space with his carrying against two fellow All Black midfielders in Ryan Crotty and Jack Goodhue.
Strangely, he ran only six times with the ball against the Bulls in his team's 35-28 win, and made only three tackles (missing one). He passed the ball only four times. For such an important player to handle the ball so infrequently is odd.
There is even more at stake for him in Christchurch. If the 26-year-old can rediscover his attacking and defensive spark there, he will impress the All Blacks selectors hugely and do no harm to his World Cup hopes.
At the moment, he is probably behind Crotty, Goodhue, Anton Lienert-Brown and Sonny Bill Williams in the pecking order, with Crusader Braydon Ennor also in the mix, and so it's entirely possible that despite being close to unstoppable at times for the Hurricanes this season, he could miss out on a trip to Japan.
The selectors feel that good performances during the pressure and intensity of a playoffs match is a greater indication of a player's readiness to go to the next level.
There has never been that doubt with Crotty, Goodhue or Williams, and the selectors admire Ennor, likely to again be named on the bench on Saturday, for his pace, decision-making and ability to play in the midfield or as an outside back.
Lienert-Brown's greatest strength as far as the All Blacks are concerned is his ability to add impact off the bench.
Last year, Laumape was told by Steve Hansen and company to work on his communication with first-five Barrett.
"We have got a plan for Ngani," Hansen said after Laumape wasn't included in the Rugby Championship squad.
"We want him to spend some time with a little bit less pressure, working on his ability to help his first-five control the game.
"With Ngani, we just want him to have more of a voice, and to learn how to use that, and to be more confident in using it — rather than just being out there and doing his thing. It's about seeing the bigger picture."
Laumape, a schoolboy rugby player who spent time with the Warriors before returning to the code via Manawatu and the Hurricanes, has probably made improvements here but if ever there was a time for him to get more involved, it is now, because as their head coach John Plumtree said after their recent win, they need to get everything right against the defending champions.
"It's a formidable pack and we are mindful of that," assistant coach Carlos Spencer told Radio Sport's D'Arcy Waldegrave of the Crusaders. "But look at their backline, some of the quality players they've got out there as well means they're a very good side all over the pitch.
"We've definitely got talent, no doubt about that.
"It's about getting them ball, and front-foot ball. If we're struggling up front, it's hard for our boys out the back to get quality ball and show what they can do."
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and is republished with permission.
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Latest Comments
Excellent points Mz. Because of other commitments I have just watched the game.
Interesting watching it after reading all the news reports especially in the English media. I was expecting to see a game that the ABs were very lucky to win. What I saw was a game that England showed their tactical incompetence and their inability to construct any try scoring opportunities.
They can go on deluding themselves that they were unlucky to lose ( as Borthwick said post match ) but until they stop relying on rush defence and goal kicking to win I feel they're doomed to be ranked 4 or 5 in the world.
Can't wait until the weekend to see how the Wallabies go against them
Though I dare say Walter will be hoping for an England win.
Go to commentsIF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.
As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.
Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).
This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.
If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.
Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.
After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.
Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.
Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)
Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.
Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.
Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.
Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:
Seeding Band 1
IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG
Seeding Band 2
SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO
Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6
Strongest pool opponent: FIJI
1/8 final opponent GEORGIA
Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond
Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6
Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA
1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND
Prognosis: You know the prognosis
I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?
Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.
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