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All Blacks fans rally around excluded star Laumape as squad announcement incites disbelief
The All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad announcement included some high-profile omissions, leaving 108-test prop Owen Franks out.
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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.
Laumape has been shafted to an embarrassing degree. Really feel for him. Missed out to guys who haven't played as well as him for literally years, not to mention had his level of fitness.
Not a great reflection on the idea of giving it your all in our Super/Provincial scene.
— Max Power (@jrodbourn) August 28, 2019
No Laumape ?????
Time to show some frustration with the All Blacks as well. #AllBlacks #RWC2019
— Aparaajit Venkatakrishnan (@AparaajitV) August 28, 2019
Two random, unrelated thoughts…
1. I’m over this face aging app thing already.
2. How can Ngani Laumape not be in the World Cup squad?
— Jason Pine (@pineynz) July 17, 2019
https://twitter.com/GunSlin14083067/status/1166504592449757184
Looking forward to the 2021 movie on how Ngani Laumape won the World Cup
— Sports Freak (@Sportsfreakconz) August 28, 2019
Shout out to Ngani Laumape. Come back to league uso!
— Stephen Gallagher (@SWTGallagher) August 28, 2019
Genuinely surprised to see Franks and Squire not included in the squad, and especially gutted for Laumape. Tough when theres 31 spots but expected the first two to be named.
— Kendall Forbes (@KendallForbes) August 28, 2019
https://twitter.com/FitKiwi/status/1166525868727922690
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.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/B1snvnnoDQA/
“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.
Rugby World Cup city guides – Fukuoka night life:
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
41 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
41 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
41 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
41 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
41 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
41 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
41 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments