Cam Roigard and Rieko Ioane two of 13 All Blacks released for NPC

Some good news has finally come the way of All Blacks fans on Wednesday morning, with the news that Cam Roigard is set for a return to the rugby field ahead of the Bledisloe Cup series.

The halfback, who has recovered from a stress fracture in his right foot, will be back in Counties Manukau colours this weekend when his Bunnings NPC side takes on fellow All Blacks Caleb Clarke and Rieko Ioane of Auckland.

Ioane will make a long-awaited return to the NPC and add to his 18 Auckland caps, having become one of the youngest-ever players to take that stage in 2015, when he was just 17 years of age.

There are 11 other All Blacks set to make appearances for their respective regions, with the Tasman v Waikato matchup in Blenheim hosting four: Leicester Fainga’anuku for the hosts, and Samipeni Finau, Luke Jacobson and Anton Lienert-Brown for the visitors.

Wellington will also have the services of an All Blacks trio: Peter Lakai, Kyle Preston, and Ruben Love.

The remaining players are Josh Lord of Taranaki, George Bower of Otago, and Pasilio Tosi of Bay of Plenty. Bower’s inclusion this weekend means he will be in Christchurch for Saturday’s Ranfurly Shield challenge.

The complete list of players released is as follows.

Friday 19 September

Taranaki v Hawkes Bay – Stadium Taranaki, 7.10pm
Taranaki: Josh Lord

Saturday 20 September

Counties Manukau v Auckland – Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe, 2.05pm
Counties Manukau: Cam Roigard
Auckland: Caleb Clarke, Rieko Ioane

Wellington v Southland – Porirua Park, 2.05pm
Wellington: Peter Lakai, Kyle Preston, Ruben Love

Tasman v Waikato – Lansdowne Park, 7.10pm
Tasman: Leicester Fainga’anuku
Waikato: Samipeni Finau, Luke Jacobson, Anton Lienert-Brown

Canterbury v Otago – Apollo Projects Stadium, 4.35pm
Otago: George Bower

Sunday 21 September

Manawatu v Bay of Plenty – Porirua Park, 4.35pm
Bay of Plenty: Pasilio Tosi