He may arguably be the most bruising midfielder in the country, but time will tell if that's enough to get Ngani Laumape into the All Blacks’ mix for the World Cup.
But with his barnstorming runs comes an entirely different challenge than the tackler in front of him.
Laumape told 1 NEWS he knows he offers more than just a spearhead to the attack, but it's hard to change the bulldozing stereotype.
"I feel like sometimes if I don't run over someone or something, they think, 'he's had a quiet game'."
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has publicly challenge Laumape to expand his repertoire this season and despite the highlight reels of his powerful running in 2019, stats show the 26-year-old has done just that.
The midfielder is passing more often, his tackling percentages are up and he spends more time on his tactical kicking.
But despite Laumape’s game expanding, it’s still his steamrolling abilities that lead discussions about him with fans and pundits.
"I think that's just people's perspective of the way that I play," he told 1 NEWS.
“To be honest, I don't really worry about it too much, I just listen to my coaches and my team mates."
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