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Laumape set for last dance at the Cake Tin as the Hurricanes prepare to take on the Reds
Fifteen-test All Black Ngani Laumape will look to make a serious impact from second five-eighth as he runs out in front of home support at Sky Stadium for the final time this Friday against the Reds.
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Laumape, who made his debut for the Hurricanes in 2016 and featured eleven times in that title-winning season, will start at 12 in the Hurricanes’ final Super Rugby Trans-Tasman round robin match against the Australian champions.
The All Blacks midfielder will cap off six successful years in Wellington with the Canes, a period in which he made 83 appearance for the club (including three Super Rugby semi-final starts) and scored an impressive 47 tries, fifteen of which came in his outrageous top scoring season in 2017.
Laumape will head to France at the end of the Super Rugby season to link up with Top 14 club Stade Francais.
Laumpe’s partner in midfield for his final game will be Billy Proctor, in a starting fifteen featuring four changes to the one which lost narrowly to the Brumbies in Canberra in round four.
Hooker Asafo Aumua has recovered from a head knock and will start in the middle of the front row – his second start of the competition, while Reed Prinsep returns to the starting fifteen at flanker after missing the trip across the Tasman.
Young halfback Cam Roigard gets an opportunity in the No. 9 jersey while wing Wes Goosen is recalled in place of Salesi Rayasi who drops to the bench.
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The bench itself features a number of changes with veteran hooker Dane Coles set to provide impact as a finisher having played a prominent starting role against the Brumbies last week. Peter Umaga-Jensen also returns, with Hurricanes head coach Jason Holland opting for a five-forward, three back make-up this week.
“While we were bitterly disappointed to lose in Canberra the boys have picked themselves up and are really determined to put on a good performance for a number of reasons,” said Holland.
“The first of those is to reward our loyal fans with a performance they can be proud of while we really want to send those players leaving off in a positive fashion.”
Holland said while the loss to the Brumbies would more than likely cost them a chance to play in the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final, they had to go out and play positively.
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“Results don’t always go to the script and we have seen the Australian sides becoming a lot more competitive as this competition has gone on. We’ve felt that first hand and we know the Reds are going to provide a massive challenge.”
The Hurricanes squad to face the Reds is:
1 Xavier Numia
2 Asafo Aumua
3 Tyrel Lomax
4 James Blackwell
5 Scott Scrafton
6 Reed Prinsep
7 Du’Plessis Kirifi
8 Ardie Savea ©
9 Cam Roigard
10 Ruben Love
11 Wes Goosen
12 Ngani Laumape
13 Billy Proctor
14 Julian Savea
15 Jordie Barrett
Replacements:
16. Dane Coles
17. Pouri Rakete-Stones
18. Alex Fidow
19. Liam Mitchell
20. Devan Flanders
21. Luke Campbell
22. Peter Umaga-Jensen
23. Salesi Rayasi
Comments on RugbyPass
Yeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
1 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
4 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
4 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
4 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
13 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
13 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
13 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
4 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
4 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
4 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to comments