Laumape shines as Turbos hit overdrive
Unwanted All Black Ngani Laumape has played a starring role as Manawatu¯ leapfrogged Taranaki into the Mitre 10 Cup Championship playoffs.
The Turbos claimed a bonuspoint 33-17 win over Counties in Palmerston North yesterday.
That saw them move to fourth on the second-division ladder with 21 points, three more than Taranaki, who lost to Auckland on Friday night.
Laumape was a class above in his 45 minutes on the field, seemingly breaking through the Counties Manukau defence at will.
He scored his side’s second try after 21 minutes when putting on a superb chip-and-chase down the right flank to dot down in the corner.
Manawatu¯ had opened the scoring in the sixth minute when first-five Otere Black crossed the line after quick hands from the back of a 5m scrum.
The home side kept rolling along in the 25th minute when Black placed an inch-perfect crosskick for flanker Johnny Galloway, who caught the ball with his fingertips and scooted 20 metres to score in the corner.
Samu Tawake added another Manawatu¯ try one minute before halftime.
Laumape was involved in an odd moment after the first-half hooter when he attempted to kick the ball out to end the half right by the sideline and his own tryline, only for Counties winger Liam Fitzsimons to charge it down. The ball stopped fortuitously in the in-goal, with Fitzsimons able to get to it and dot it down while just getting his foot in play.
Laumape was replaced five minutes into the second half with what appeared to be a knee injury, although it did not appear overly serious as he was able to walk off under his own steam.
His replacement, Ben Werthmuller, scored a try 10 minutes later after a slick move off the back of a 5m lineout from his team-mates.
Immediately after the kickoff, Fitzsimons got another charge down, this time on Black, which Daymon Leasuasu regathered to score Counties’ second try.
Counties got a final consolation try after the fulltime hooter when Rodney Tongotea scored in the left corner. Counties had already been relegated from the Premiership before this loss, their ninth in 10 games.