Sione Lauaki's treatment of Richie McCaw during a Super 14 match in May could have sealed his All Black place. Photo/ Getty Images
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Put it down to the first Friday in May. The Chiefs travelled to Christchurch to play the Crusaders and Sione Lauaki made a mess of the defending champions.
One of the victims of the No 8's punishing running was All Black captain Richie McCaw, planted squarely on his
backside after a ramrod fend from the rampaging loose forward. He was not the only casualty as Lauaki made a massive impact.
McCaw said yesterday he had felt the wrath of what Lauaki can do.
"He's got the ability to have people worried about how they're going to get him to ground," said McCaw.
"If he does what he did to me when we played the Chiefs ... he's a pretty menacing ball carrier so to have someone in the team like that is great."
Minor surgery on both knees denied Lauaki a chance with the All Blacks but his name was in the selectors' World Cup probables list. That chance became reality yesterday when Lauaki bashed his way into the group of forwards at the expense of lock-loose forward Troy Flavell.
In assessing Lauaki's power, coach Graham Henry recalled a conversation he had with McCaw who confirmed the No 8's influence.
"He said he played very well that night," said Henry with his tongue embedded behind his smirking cheek.
Lauaki embarrassed the All Blacks in 2004 when he played for the Pacific Islanders but has played only seven tests for the men in black as a trail of injuries and fitness problems have bitten into his consistency.
It was a recurring problem last week as Lauaki, 26, twisted his right knee training with Waikato and was sent for a specialist checkup by the All Black selectors. That summons was a clue to his impending promotion, as long as he got the all-clear.
"I started to doubt about everything because of my knee but it was okay and then I got a phone call [from the All Blacks]. I thought I was dreaming," he said.
Lauaki has a smattering of French to work on and also plenty of conditioning work to trim himself back to his optimum 118kg playing weight. He has been cleared to play for Waikato this weekend and is determined he does not want to make up the numbers in France. "It depends on me, how fast I recover, how I can keep my weight down."
Rave reviews from the All Blacks panel - Henry, Steve Hansen, Wayne Smith and Sir Brian Lochore - offer that chance.
"He is a marvellous ball-carrier and played some exceptional rugby at the end of the Super 14," said Henry. "He can add to the potency of this team, we think he can add to it. He has got exceptional ability and we need to use that."
Similar assessments came from the great Michael Jones after he coached Lauaki in the Pacific Islanders when he scored tries against the All Blacks, Wallabies and Springboks.
