Ngani Laumape

Laumape top of the pops

The 24-year-old walked away with the player of the year and best and fairest honours, to cap a campaign in which he made his All Blacks debut as well. 

On a night when the Super Rugby semifinalists sought to honour their achievers, there were also some emotional goodbyes. Seven of this year's squad won't be with the franchise in 2018, but none are as decorated as wing Cory Jane.

Laumape searching for space

The Hurricanes' second five-eighth probably didn't begin the Super Rugby season as a huge topic of pre-match discussions. Flatten enough opponents, though, and coaches will suddenly circulate clip after clip of you to their charges.

Give Laumape the chance to take a defender one-on-one and there's only one winner. But such has been his form this year, that those odds haven't been in his favour for a while.

"I've been noticing that and us, as a team, we know what we need to do better," Laumape said ahead of Sunday's semifinal against the Lions in Johannesburg.

Canes weather the storm

Laumape's second try was the result of an audacious chip-pass from All Blacks flyhalf Beauden Barrett about 15 metres out from his own line and with flanker Brad Shields in the sinbin as the home side weathered a relentless Stormers attack.

Fullback Jordie Barrett also crossed twice, while Julian Savea, Cory Jane and Beauden Barrett grabbed tries for the home side.