Analysis: Welcome to the Laumape show
“Less Gooo.”
The Roar. The chest thump. The catchphrase. They are fast becoming trademarks of Ngani Laumape’s try-scoring celebration.
Every time he explodes with something special, the power-packed dynamo relishes in the rush of adrenaline with a raw display of exuberation.
We saw it again last night as Laumape became just the seventh player to score four tries in a game, joining teammate Ben Lam as the second Hurricane to do it this year. All four of them came from set-piece (although one set-piece was the Blues), and he added a try assist by setting up Julian Savea.
It was a dominant display of power line running and set-piece execution. Laumape returned to his rampaging best, showing similar form to last year when he set a Super Rugby record for the most tries in a season with 15. He finished the night with four tries, one try assist, 119 run metres, 10 defenders beaten and three line breaks on eight carries.
With the stars back, the Hurricanes backline clicked, enabling Laumape to do what he does best – run straight and run hard. A large contributing factor in his record-equalling performance was Tana Umaga’s makeshift selection of Rieko Ioane at 12, who the Hurricanes targeted again and again.
It may just spell the end of that experiment as he conceded three tries in his channel in the first half.
The Blues up-and-in defence was exposed by the Hurricanes using Laumape’s ‘unders’ lines to fly under the radar. The Blues backs align inside the opposite man, instead of body-on-body, and push up and out to force the attacking side towards the sideline.
The system’s weakness comes when the defenders are caught watching inside runners, quickly losing awareness of where their own assignment is.
The work of TJ Perenara from the base of the scrum was also crucial, getting the jump on his opposite Augustine Pulu multiple times. He was often isolated on the wrong side of the scrum, unable to account for Perenara as he scampered off the other way forcing the inside backs to break ranks and commit to him.
On the first try, the Hurricanes successfully force both Perofeta and Ioane to cover two defenders each, with Perenara drawing just enough interest from Perofeta to hold him.
Both the Blues inside backs are caught watching Perenara, Julian Savea and Beauden Barrett on the inside. By the time Ioane picks up Laumape in his field of vision, it’s too late – he’s going too fast across his face and the gap is too wide.
TJ selects the right option and hits Laumape flat at full speed into the hole, who offloads in the cover tackle for Savea in support to score.
The very next set play the Hurricanes target Ioane again with a similar play, Laumape running hard unders and Barrett floating out the back.
This time Nehe Milner-Skudder (14) plays first receiver and delivers a perfectly timed short ball. Again, Ioane has eyes for the inside and is drawn to Barrett sweeping out the back.
Laumape bursts through the sliding door leaving Ioane grasping at air. He cuts back through the cover tackle of Caleb Clarke and scores a brilliant try. Beauden Barrett congratulates Ioane with a pat on the back as he watches his opposite streak away, again.
The first two Hurricanes strike plays resulted in tries, so they continued to press for a third. After testing the Blues with a short side play with Beauden Barrett two-on-two down the blindside, they play the same formation again.
This time the smart work of TJ Perenara leaves Ioane no option but to make the tackle. Pulu is left in the dust again as Perenara breaks to the open side, leaving him stuck on the opposite side.
At 28-24 with the game in the balance, the Hurricanes went direct to Laumape off the lineout maul. This time wasn’t about manipulating the defence as he ran straight at Perofeta and Ioane, powering through the tackle with leg drive to find his way over. From five metres out with a wind-up, there was no stopping him.
Barrett iced the game with a clutch intercept and flick pass to who else but Laumape, who raced away for his fourth of the night.
Watch: Beauden Barrett pulls off juggling intercept before no-look pass
In the end, the Blues leaked 42 points from set-piece, with 35 coming from the Hurricanes and 7 from their own defused play.
Having TJ Perenara and Beauden Barrett back working in tandem as playmakers gives the opposition too many headaches, especially when they have a damaging strike weapon in Laumape to utilise.
It’s the players around Laumape that simplify his job and allow him to shine as one best ball runners in the game. His no fear line running is excellent, as is his timing, knowing when to explode onto the ball at exactly the right time.
Hopefully for the Hurricanes, the Laumape show goes on.
Comments on RugbyPass
Farcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe 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.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 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.
11 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.
61 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.
7 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
61 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 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
61 Go to comments