Roigard: All Blacks aren’t ‘shying away’ from rare Grand Slam shot

Cam Roigard insists the All Blacks aren’t “shying away” from the challenge of claiming the team’s first Grand Slam in 15 years, as they prepare to start their Northern Tour against familiar rivals Ireland at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

New Zealand have only won the Grand Slam four times, beating the four Home Nations in 1978, 2005, 2009 and most recently in 2010. It’s a rare opportunity for the All Blacks to fight for that prize, but the current side coached by Scott Robertson are embracing the pressure.

The All Blacks have won seven of their nine Test matches in 2025 so far, falling to Los Pumas 29-23 in Argentina and the Springboks by a record 43-10 scoreline at Wellington’s Sky Stadium – finishing The Rugby Championship in second place.

After back-to-back Bledisloe Cup wins over the Wallabies in Auckland and Perth, the All Blacks will face Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales before their 13-Test international season draws to what could be a historic Grand Slam-winning close.

It’s a goal the All Blacks have briefly “talked about” already, but it’s not front of mind just yet. The Irish shocked the All Blacks at Soldier Field in 2016, sparking a new chapter in one of rugby union’s great rivalries, so they’ll need to pass that initial test to keep the dream alive.

“It’s not written up on the wall just yet. Not sure what the theming of the week will be just yet, just because obviously they’ll probably do that once we’re in Chicago,” Roigard told reporters.

“There’s no shying away from it and it’s probably something that we walk towards because it’s an exciting opportunity. I think the last time the All Blacks did it was 2010 which I don’t actually have many memories of it if I’m honest, although I was a diehard All Blacks fan then.

“There’s not many players that get an opportunity to do it and be part of a team that can do it. I think it all starts with the first game and we can’t get too carried away. If we get the first two, three weeks right, we’ll be definitely talking about it and getting pretty excited for it.”

New Zealand and Ireland have clashed in 38 Test matches, with the All Blacks triumphing in all but six of those matches. There was one draw in January 1973, and the Irish’s five wins have all come within the last 10 years.

Ireland had never beaten the All Blacks before the two sides went head-to-head in front of more than 62,000 fans at Soldier Field on November 5, 2016. Jordi Murphy opened the scoring, as Ireland scored five tries to four in a famous 40-29 victory.

While the All Blacks bounced back two weeks later at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium with a 21-9 win, the Irish have tasted victory in 2018, 2021, and twice in 2022. Ireland had never beaten the All Blacks on New Zealand soil before 2022, but won the three-Test series 2-1.

The All Blacks have triumphed in the last two meetings, including an unforgettable quarter-final at the 2023 Men’s Rugby World Cup, which the New Zealanders won 28-24 at Stade de France. They backed that up with a 10-point win in Dublin during last year’s Northern Tour.

“That’s probably where the rivalry started in a way. That was the first time they beat us. It was an iconic Test,” Roigard said.

“I feel like that’s what’s ignited it all. Over the years, since then, it’s back and forth in terms of they’ve beaten us a couple times… we ended their Aviva winning streak last year. The rivalry’s very much alive.

“Whether we’re using that as fuel this week, that’s probably not up to me, probably up to the coaches, but for myself, I remember watching that game when I was 15 or however old I was and it always hurts when you’re a diehard All Blacks fan seeing them get beaten.

“The preparation doesn’t change no matter who I’m playing. It’s always in-depth and making sure there’s no stone unturned.”