Former All Black midfielder, Ngani Laumape was signed to Moana Pasifika for the 2026 and 2027 Rugby Pacific seasons. Ngani Laumape who was born in Palmerston North, New Zealand, descends from the villages of Nukuhetulu and Folaha in Tonga.
Moana Pasifika announced the signing today, 10 June.
The 32-year-old is fresh off three seasons with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers in the Japan Rugby League One Competition, where he played alongside Moana Pasifika captain Ardie Savea.
Laumape joining the team boosts the Moana Pasifika squad, with 30 of the 38 roster spots now locked in. "One of the reasons I came back was to be part of the first Moana Pasifika team to win the competition,"he said.
"Obviously there has to be a lot of hard work and a lot of things behind the scenes that we'll have to do but why can't our culture and our people do something great in this competition.
"That's pretty inspiring and definitely motivating."
Head coach Fa'alogo Tana Umaga said, "We're excited to welcome Ngani to our Moana Pasifika aiga. Ngani is a talented player who has proven himself on the international stage. From his experience in league, the All Blacks, as well as in France and in Japan, he has an open and mature outlook on the game.
"Ngani is also a great person who has done well for himself and his family, and I know he'll be able to integrate smoothly into our team environment."
Described as a 'wrecking ball,' Laumape is known for being a powerful ball carrier and unpredictable on attack, making it difficult for opponents to combat.
In 2013 he made the switch to rugby league, debuting for the New Zealand Warriors where he made 30 appearances across two seasons, scoring 11 tries.
After the stint in league, Laumape signed with the Hurricanes for the 2016 Super Rugby season and quickly made an impact with his strong carries and explosive running game, going on to win the team's first ever Super Rugby title.
He continued his spectacular form in the 2017 season where he finished as the competition's most prolific try-scorer with 15 to his name. He scored a total of 49 tries across his six seasons in the capital.
Laumape's standout campaign caught the eye of All Blacks selectors, earning him his international debut in the 2017 British and Irish Lions series in New Zealand, stepping in to start for the suspended Sonny Bill Williams in the series decider. He went on to play 15 Tests and two matches for the All Blacks between 2017-2020, scoring 10 tries.
He will also return to play for the Manawatū Turbos in the National Provincial Championship.
