NPC Players of Round 8 - betcha The Playbook

The business end of the NPC season is now upon us, with teams all over the table making final pushes to either secure a spot in the playoffs or earn home advantage for those upcoming showdowns.

With another weekend in the books, we have a fresh set of players of the round, which means it’s time to update our NPC Player of the Season leaderboard.

Let’s see how it all shakes out heading into the penultimate round of the regular season.

5. Etene Nanai-Seturo (1 Point)

Another battle of the north saw Auckland take on Counties in what was set to be an exciting match up, with both teams starting to find some form down the stretch of the season. However, to my surprise, the Steelers were able to put the pedal to the metal and throttle an Auckland side featuring Caleb Clarke and Reiko Ioane, winning 49-28.

As I mentioned, there were some big names in this match, with Counties also returning the best halfback in the world, Cam Roigard. However, the man who really showed out has been the team’s brightest light all season, Etene Nanai-Seturo, who put on a clinic against their close rivals. He not only scored in this game, but also set up two teammates, accounting for 15 points for his team.

What made him so difficult to handle was his dazzling footwork, which tends to resemble the likes of RTS. This led to him breaking three tackles and carrying the ball for a game-high 83 metres.

For Counties, who have had a tough season up until now, this win putting 49 points on a team that has dominated for so many years was huge for their slim playoff hopes. The key reason they are even in that position is because of Nanai-Seturo.

4. Dominic Ropeti (2 Points)

The Lions had been in hibernation through the first seven weeks of the season but finally decided to roar with the Stags coming to town in a must-win game for the defending champions. Luckily for them, they had perhaps their most talented side available, with Ruben Love, Kyle Preston and Peter Lakai all back in the XV thanks to a week off in the international sphere. While all of them were outstanding, the name that stuck out to me was the younger Dominic Ropeti, who started at lock rather than in his more natural loose forward spot.

The talented forward has come through the New Zealand development system and is now looking to find his footing in the professional game. With this performance he may have just done that, in what could be seen as his tertiary position in the engine room. Against the Stags, what really stood out for Ropeti was his athleticism and ball skills, as he burst through the Stags’ defence on multiple occasions, using his vision to manipulate defenders before picking his hole to run through. This led to him making 86 metres, breaking five tackles, and scoring a try early on.

After his early explosion into the game, Ropeti continued to dominate, making nine tackles and winning four lineouts along the way. In the second half, he was once again a savant on the ball, acting as the tip of the pod before throwing an outstanding pop pass to put his support runner into a gap and set up a try.

With the Lions pouring on 70-plus points, there were plenty of names who could have made this list from their side. But what Ropeti was able to do in all phases of the game, in an unnatural position, is why he earns two points this weekend.

3. Fehi Fineanganofo (3 Points)

The final game of the round saw Bay of Plenty blow the Manawatu Turbos away, scoring 55 points in what became a very explosive affair from the jump. From the Steamers, there were plenty of names who could have been called man of the match, but the one who takes the cake is Fehi Fineanganofo, making his second appearance in this series. Another New Zealand 7s graduate who has taken to the 15s game superbly, he has become one of the most explosive players in the country. This season has once again put New Zealand rugby circles on notice after he dominated all across Bay of Plenty’s backline.

He started the day in the first half by scoring a savvy winger’s try as he came in off the flank and found his way into the tight. Picking the ball up from the base of the ruck, he found his way under the sticks. After that, he began the second half in style, intercepting a Turbos pass before running 50 metres to dot down for his second try of the week. To round out his big 137 metre day, he made a heads-up run from the base of the ruck, again from his own 40 metre line. He then burst through the Manawatu defence and carried the ball another 50 or so metres before offloading back into the field of play.

Essentially, Fineanganofo torched the Turbos defence all day long, which is why he adds another three points to his season’s tally.

2. Josh Jacomb (4 Points)

Josh Jacomb doing what he did on Friday afternoon is no longer a surprise because he does these things every weekend. Even so, that doesn’t mean we don’t have to point out just how special he has been this season.

He has led one of the most dominant teams in the NPC, and Friday against Hawke’s Bay was no different. He put his team on his back and led them to a 14-point victory over a good Hawke’s Bay Magpies side. Off the rip, he once again scored his own meat pie, which is his sixth of the season. Outside of that, he made five conversions and a penalty, meaning he was good for 18 points in total on the day.

Moving on to his attacking game, there is no dispute that he is the best playmaker in the competition. That was on full display with his 20 carries, three line breaks, and 161 metres made, which led the whole round. To further echo that talent, he also managed to set up a teammate and add a try assist to his game resume.

I’m not sure there is much else to say other than he needs to be starting next Super Rugby season, whether that’s with the Chiefs or, if he makes a potential move south, to start for the Highlanders. I’m not 100 percent sure, but he seems like he could be an option to answer the question of the future All Blacks no. 10 jersey.

1. Lucas Casey (5 Points)

Otago have had a couple of breakout stars in this NPC campaign, but none have delivered a performance on such a big occasion like Lucas Casey did against Canterbury.

Now, we can’t start talking about his performance without mentioning his elite work on the ball, where he was without a doubt the best athlete and ball carrier on the paddock. He led the game with 80 metres carried and also made two line breaks. On those breaks, he went on to beat eight defenders, showing off some outrageous footwork and vision as he burned tackling angles at a high speed for any position.

He capped off his superb attacking day with two tries. If you watch them back, one came from 22 metres out and the other from the 40-metre line, showcasing his blistering pace.

No doubt his attacking prowess was a key reason Otago were able to win the Shield against an unbeaten Canterbury side, but as any quality openside flanker should be, he was just as dominant on defence. He led the game in tackles made with a count of 18, two of those being classified as “dominant”. On top of his relentless defensive work rate, he also earned a turnover for his efforts.

All of this, combined with helping secure the Ranfurly Shield for his province for the first time since 2020, is why Casey picks up the full five points this week.

Leaderboard After Round 8 (Top 20)