Cam Roigard’s verdict on Joseph Suaalii and Wallabies backline

The Wallabies’ firepower is taking aim at the All Blacks this week, and the Kiwis know how dangerous said firepower can be when given the opportunity to play. But halfback Cam Roigard backs the talent of his team to contend with anything Australia can throw their way.

Eden Park will play host to Saturday’s match, which doubles as round five of the Rugby Championship and a Bledisloe Cup bout. It will be the first time Wallabies star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has donned gold on New Zealand soil.

The NRL convert has been making big plays for Australia in 2025, contributing to a wave of excitement that is inspiring plenty of optimism about the game’s future Down Under.

With the Wallabies’ recent return to form, The Rugby Championship is as competitive as ever, and the fate of the Bledisloe Cup — held on the eastern side of the Tasman Sea since 2002 — hasn’t been this uncertain in years.

Roigard says Suaalii and the Wallabies’ backline have earned their stripes.

“We’ve seen from the start of the international campaign that they’ve grown a lot in confidence as a backline,” he told reporters in Auckland. “They have built some combination, and Joseph Sua’ali’i’s getting better each week, which was always expected.

“They’ve been battle-hardened. They’ve had some big Test matches, including the Lions series, where they were probably unlucky not to win it.

“They’re a team that are going to go for 80, and regardless of previous results and history, they’re going to come here thinking they’ve got a genuine chance to win. They will have a crack from anywhere, especially with the likes of James O’Connor coming back.

“He’s been instrumental for them since he’s come in with that fearless mindset.

“We understand the threat each player is. It’s not just him. They’ve got threats across the part defensively as well. Identifying that and being able to replicate that in training so we are prepared for it come Saturday.”

For the All Blacks, there remains some uncertainty over who makes up the top-choice backline, especially the back three.

Rieko Ioane, Leroy Carter, Sevu Reece, Emoni Narawa, Will Jordan, Ruben Love, and Damian McKenzie have all tasted starting roles in the New Zealand outside positions this year, and Caleb Clarke’s return to fitness adds further uncertainty to the hierarchy. Leicester Fainga’anuku’s positional versatility makes him another option out wide.

Whoever gets the call for Bledisloe 1, Roigard is hoping he can be the man to put them in space.

“We’ve got great athletes all across the park, and being able to use them when necessary and playing smart at the same time is massive for us.”