All Blacks and Hurricanes second-five Ngani Laumape might be one of few Kiwis embracing the time at home during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Aside from training in his impressive home gym, Laumape's kids have benefited from having their dad home. Laumape's time is now spent mostly building dinosaur houses, as well as getting his kids involved in the Hurricanes' isolation training programme.
For sons Sio and Daniel, having dad home is the bright side of the global pandemic.
"Ever since my son was born I haven't been [home]," Laumape told 1 NEWS.
"I was at his first birthday, but I had to go to a promo halfway through. Ever since then I haven't been at the rest of his birthdays due to rugby commitments, so for me I'm just trying to make up for lost time now."
Sacrifices like that are not uncommon in the Laumape family, having moved from Tonga to Palmertson North in the '90s. Those sacrifices are putting a disappointing 12 months into perspective, with Laumape a shock omission from last year's Rugby World Cup squad.
Laumape is hoping to serve as an example to those in a similar position to where he once was.
"Why wouldn't I use the platform that I have now to spread positivity and to inspire someone, so that the next generation or the next kid from Palmy doesn't feel shy to say what he wants to say, or to feel like he's gonna get mocked?"
The hard-hitting second-five is looking to bounce back from that disappointment in style, if and when rugby eventually returns.
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