Sione Lauaki

[bates]

Morning all,

After NZ winning the TNC my weekend started just fine, especailly cause most of the time some of the AB are playing for the Chiefs .
I mean Richard Kahui, Sione Lauaki, Mils Muliaina and Sitiveni Sivivatu.

But my favorite stays Lauaki, when you see him play for the Chiefs he sometimes has some true highlights, but when playing for the AB it seems he's not really delivering. Reffering to the TNC were he made so many handling errors

So what's your opinion about him and his capacities?

At moderators, I 'm not going to start a topic about every AB

[Haysie]

That's why he's seen as such of a star by the mooloos and not when he plays for the AB's. He's too much of an individual player to excel at such a top level. I see him chip-kick and goose-step and do stupid things all the time at both levels, but at the Super 14 and ANZCup level he can get away with them more often because he is contesting at a lower standard of competition.

[bates]

True, you have a point there.
But as the Chiefs are seeing as a team that normally ends in the middle of the S14, there's not that much pressure and sometimes he really brings some added value, but idd talking about the AB, I agree he can't handle it.

[kaftka]

Not a fan. He frustrates me whenever he runs with the ball. You watch him, he is as upright as a flagpole. Every. Time. He has no concept of gravity or motion. He very rarely makes ground when running at international level. He also has a very poor work rate for a loosie. He's an All Black because of his supposed impact, but whenever he is on the field the guys around him just have to work that much harder.
He can get away with it at provincial/Super 14 level, or takes on smaller guys. Then he has a real impact on a game. He's just not up to International standard though. And I don't know if he ever will be. Seems to struggle with basic skills too. Holds the ball like a handbag. That's why he drops it half the time.

Not a bad player for Waikato. When he's at his best he's great to see.

[Charles]

Maybe they should swap with his brother, he seems a lot more serious ...

[candybum]

hmm sometimes when Lauaki has the ball its seems like hes dropping his nuts ay like he runs it up like a b*t*h. But yeahin saying that, as you said, he has provided some quality highlights because when hes "switched on" hes a great player to watch. Unfortunately hes an inconsistent player, so when hes off... dude he needs to be subbed!

[InsaneAsylum]

lauaki is alright at provincial level, but i reckon he's a player who's better suited to league.

[Canuck-Backrow]

he scored some good trys in the 3N this year tho....

[alexrugby]

what to say?

He loves to take a breath

Is all Maori guy

Owns self web page

Is great player

Guess injured this guy

And is 5 years older than me

He is great brother, I agree your taste

[Incredible Schalk]

That was Kahui who buggerd Matt Tait.

I like to watch him, im a genuine fan, powerful players are great to watch but when this guys off form hes unbearable.

[alexrugby]

Surely. Rugby is associated to huge strong men

And it is one of the leading charms of this amazing play

[candybum]

He's not Maori is he?

[alexrugby]

For example look at this picture

So strong, so heavy, so sluggish, so dynamic and so fascinating!

I would call this picture Titans

[TyphoonsRugby]

QUOTE (LeksoRugby @ Sep 19 2008, 06:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For example look at this picture

So strong, so heavy, so sluggish, so dynamic and so fascinating!

I would call this picture Titans

[/b]

I'd call that picture '10 minutes in the bin'

[jawmalawm24]

QUOTE (candybum @ Sep 19 2008, 09:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He's not Maori is he?[/b]

Nah he's Tongan but just has Maori tatoo on his arms. Alot of players have heaps of tatoo from different cultures these days thou, so it's sometimes hard for people to distinguish from what ethnicity the person wearing the tatoo are affiliated.

[bates]

True, he's Tongan.

But Most of the Pacific Islands have their own Tattoos, example Samoa, Tonga, NZ ( Maori) due to their Polynesian roots.

[alexrugby]

Ooo I was judging from his tattoos

Well, he's Tongan and plays for NZ

I guess it is frequent thing, as Tana Umaga also was Tonga based NZ

O I like Tana very much, he was my favorite foreigner



And he gently gently gestures ME :P :P :P :P

[bates]

Currently you have 2 big immigrations waves in NZ : Asians and Pacific Islanders.

Most players ask for NZ nationality and the play for the AB, like Sitiventi, Lauaki, Umaga etc...

[candybum]

Tana is samoan

[Charles]

and he was born in NZ as well.

[jawmalawm24]

Yep Tana's Samoan and was born here in New Zealand but like i said before it's getting hard for some people to distinguish between alot of the Islanders and Maori these days. Especially when you've got some players like Ross Filipo who's half Samoan and Maori.

Anyhow I think Sione Lauaki shouldn't be going over for the tour in November not on current form anyway we've got heaps of good players that could easily take his place. I'd rather have Mose Tuiali'i or even Thomas Waldrom he's been playing like a riot or maybe even chuck Victor Vito even thou he hasn't had any Super14 experience yet.

[candybum]

Ahh Waldrom and Vito, couple of Wellingtonians ay lol nah yeah they've been playing very good aye. I think Tuiali'i is going off shore so i think he might not be considered. Kieren Read should be in there imo

[kaftka]

Hell, I think take the whole Lions team over.

[alexrugby]

I agree Tana is all New Zealand guy

I like him I adore him

No matter whether he is Maori, Fiji, Samoa or Alaskan descent

He is great rugby player and builds up career as coach

Main for me and for any rugby lover is that he has played amazing career and brought us great delight with his amazing play in this amazing sports species called Rugby

And he Gently gestures and says: Thanks guys and especially you Lekso!!!!!!!!

[Nat]

Lauaki is an ok player but I think he is on the All Blacks bench for a reason. Victor Vito is one to watch, true he need S14 experience but watching him in the NPC playing No 8 for Wellington shows that he is the next No 8 for the All Blacks.

[bates]

It's true he's on the bench for a reason but you do have better n°8's then Lauaki, still he's an awesome player

[Sneaki]

Lauaki scored a good try in tonights game against Taranaki but went and got sinbinned 5 mins later and almost lost Waikato the game. I guess that sort of summarises what he's like as a player. It was a brilliant game to watch though. Game of the year in the Air New Zealand cup so far I think. 45-41 to Waikato.

[Flux]

I actually despise the guy. He's trouble off and on the field. Unlike Ma'a Nonu it doesn't seem like being dropped a few times has helped him improve as a player or a person.

His handling is poor, and he constantly goes into the tackle too high, which means he turns the ball over nine times out of ten. To put it bluntly, he turns the ball over more than anything else. When he's good, he's good, but he's far too inconsistent.

He's a completely self-centred player, which means if he has an off day the whole team suffers because he doesn't pass the ball. Again, Nonu has learnt from his mistakes, Lauaki hasn't.

If anyone saw the Taranaki-Waikato match tonight, you probably would have seen him come in with a late shoulder charge on Jayden Hayward which left Hayward on the ground convulsing and coughing up blood. I hope he gets banned for this (along with his yellow card) so we are saved the hassle of having him pulling on the black jersey again.

After the first match against Aus this year Lauaki put in a performance that should never see him pull on an All Black jersey ever again. Not even Rodney So'oialo's game against the Springboks in 2006 was that bad.

He's also a brute off the pitch. I think he's had two assault charges pressed against him?

In short, I don't like him as a player or a person. I don't think I've ever disliked an All Black player so much.

[candybum]

Yeah i think leave lauaki out, so he doesn't think he is a shoe in for the AB's. Give Thomas Waldrom a crack at 8!!

[Flux]

QUOTE (candybum @ Oct 2 2008, 10:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah i think leave lauaki out, so he doesn't think he is a shoe in for the AB's. Give Thomas Waldrom a crack at 8!![/b]

I agree, Thomas Waldrom is an excellent impact player.