Ex-All Black Ngani Laumape scored a hat trick in the Kobelco Kobe Steelers’ 58-36 victory over Hanazono Kintetsu Liners, producing a one-game highlight reel that most players would only dream of cooking up over a season.
The midfielder’s tries themselves were secondary in entertainment value to his bulldozing runs in centre field.
The 103kg former Super Rugby star brushed off tackles left and right, freeing his upper body for the offload with ease.
When his raw power wasn’t needed, Laumape employed his pace and ultimately crossed the chalk three times in just his second outing for the club.
Feel like in 10 years time we will all stumble upon Ngani Laumape highlights again and will not be able to forgive the all blacks for letting him go.
— Benny King (@BenMRC10) December 24, 2022
Laumape-Moeakiola-Isileli create an unstoppable freight train to provide SH Nakajima with his 2nd, and Kobe with breathing room.
46-29
🔥⚓️
— Mikagehage (@mikagehage) December 24, 2022
Before his move to France in 2021, Laumape openly expressed his dissatisfaction with his place in New Zealand’s midfield pecking order, claiming to feel overlooked as he continued to put in game-breaking performances.
“Yeah, pretty disappointing,” Laumape said of his lack of game time at the international level.
“I think I offer something in the midfield that no other midfielder can offer in New Zealand.
"At the end of the day it is a business, they did what they had to do and I have to do what is best for me and my family and my kids.
"There are no hard feelings, I understand it is what it is.”
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— JAPAN RUGBY LEAGUE ONE??????🏉 (@LeagueOne_JP) December 27, 2022
