'Clever footballer': The verdict on Cam Roigard's fake injury tactic against the Blues

Hurricanes halfback Cam Roigard has divided opinion after his ‘fake injury’ tactic against the Blues in the Super Rugby Pacific semi-final.

After taking a high ball contest, Roigard was taken out in the air accidentally in the contest by Blues fullback Beauden Barrett.

As Blues players retreated slowly, with some trying to check on Roigard on the ground, he quickly got to his feet and resumed play with a quick tap off the penalty.

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The No.9 made a line break with the Blues players not back 10 metres, which eventually led to a try to the Hurricanes.

Roigard’s controversial tactic has drawn both criticism and praise for being equally clever and disingenuous.

Former All Black fullback Mils Muliaina was not happy with the play, and expressed concern about it deciding the outcome of a final.

“I don’t think that was the right way to carry on,” Muliaina said.

“Usually when you are trying to speed it up, I’m okay with that. What we are used to doing, is going upstairs, and that could’ve been a yellow card.

“What I don’t like is something out of the ordinary has popped up and it’s play on, because a try came out of that.

“I don’t want something like that in a final to influence the result.”

Ex-All Black Stephen Donald had no issue with it, given that there are plenty of players who milk or act up to influence the decision to issue a card.

There is no difference between the two plays

“I loved it,” he said.

“You said fakery, there are guys who lie down all the time to wait for the referee to go upstairs and hopefully get his team a yellow card.

“What’s highlighted here, is Cam has taken advantage of it. Look, he’s a clever footballer.”

Ex-All Black Jeff Wilson also wasn’t completely sold on whether it was morally correct to take advantage of the situation the way that Roigard did.

“I’m a little bit uneasy about the fact that Blues players were coming to check on his well being,” Wilson said.

“They were coming forward to make sure he’s okay. Finlay Christie taps him on the shoulder and there was clearly nothing wrong with him. Clearly nothing wrong with him because he taps the ball and runs as fast as he ran all game.

“He took advantage of the situation, it’s up to his conscience to decide whether or not he would do it again.”

Host Stanway confirmed that Roigard said “he would do it again” if presented the opportunity, to which Wilson said he “wasn’t convinced”.

“I think Beauden Barrett was fortunate that the game wasn’t stopped, because he quite easily could’ve got a yellow card,” he said.

“Then it comes onto the TMO and why the TMO didn’t stop the game.”