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Watch: Asafo Aumua ploughs through four Blues defenders to cap off sweeping Hurricanes move

(Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

The Hurricanes have exploded into life in their opening Super Rugby Aotearoa match of the year, with powerful hooker Asafo Aumua crashing over for a scintillating try against the Blues.

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Trailing 7-0 early in the first half after Blues flanker Dalton Papalii scored off a Vaea Fifita mistake near his own tryline, the Hurricanes responded immediately after finding themselves just inside the opposition’s half.

Spreading the ball through the hands in between the Blues’ 10 metre mark and the halfway line, Julian Savea decided to take the defensive line on, bursting through a gap between Papalii and Harry Plummer.

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The big left wing, playing in his first game for the Hurricanes since returning to the Wellington franchise from French giants Toulon last year, then popped an offload to the supporting Jackson Garden-Bachop, who then cut the ball back to Fifita.

The rangy loose forward stroll up to the 22 metre mark, sucking in the tackle attempts of Hoskins Sotutu and Sam Nock before offloading to Jonathan Taumateine, who was sacked from behind by Akira Ioane.

Quick recycled ball allowed Ardie Savea to fling a cut out ball to James Blackwell, who shovelled the ball onto Billy Proctor in the wide channels.

The young midfielder didn’t hesitate in finding Aumua on the 22 metre mark, which is where the magic started as the blockbusting rake charged towards the Blues defence.

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After surveying his options, Aumua opted to run straight at Stephen Perofeta and Kurt Eklund, but neither defender could drag him down as he shrugged them both off with ease.

Despite tripping over Eklund’s flailing arm, the 23-year-old evaded the wayward tackle attempts of Nock and Rieko Ioane, neither of whom could hold Aumua on the ground.

As such, he was allowed to get up and go again, which is exactly was he did with the tryline in sight, and neither Mark Telea nor Caleb Clarke were quick enough to stop him as he stretched out and scored a wonderfully-taken try.

The play exemplified the brute strength and power Aumua possesses, and the one-test All Black will no doubt be called upon in the second half with his side leading 11-7 at half-time.

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J
JW 1 hour ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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