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
Should've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to comments