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Foster hands Fainga'anuku and Roigard clear objectives to secure finals minutes
Round five offers fringe players one final opportunity to make their claim for a spot in the matchday 23 before the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals kick off next weekend in Marseille.
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For the All Blacks, there are a number of players who have a chance to lock down bench roles, making for a highly charged matchup with an impressive Uruguay outfit.
While much of the starting XV can be considered set, there is some wriggle room on the All Blacks bench. Two men vying for their spot in the reserves are halfback Cam Roigard and winger Leicester Fainga’anuku.
Both young players have enjoyed sensational form in 2023’s Super Rugby Pacific, building on impressive showings for the All Blacks XV in 2022.
Roigard has been named to start against Los Teros, with halfback competition Finlay Christie in the gameday reserves.
If the All Blacks are to win with a bonus point and secure their quarter-final birth, the Uruguay Test will be the final audition for the two in the role of Aaron Smith’s backup.
“I want to see him do what he is good at,” head coach Ian Foster said of Roigard. “He brings an edge to the running game, he’s a threat and I want him to stick with that.
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“His left-foot kicking is a real asset for us. We haven’t got a lot of left-footers in our inside backs, so that’s a bonus.
“One thing I do want him to do is to improve the accuracy of his pass. When he’s been coming on, he’s probably been rushing that aspect of his game a little bit. So this is a chance for him to settle in the game and get that right and show that that can be a massive strength for him as well.”
For Fainga’anuku, the coach revealed it would be an opportunity for the blockbusting runner to show his chops across the backline.
While the 23-year-old usually resides on the left wing and has been named to start there, he has donned the 13 jersey on occasion and may well be shifted into the midfield against Uruguay.
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It’s a crucial revelation as midfield cover is the essential component of the New Zealand bench, given both their starting midfielders can cover the wings.
So far, Anton Lienert-Brown has been the front-runner for the impact role, and while Fainga’anuku has also appeared off the bench, Damian McKenzie’s late push to be involved in the matchday 23 could push one of the two out of the quarter-final team.
“Leicester is going to cover 12 and 13,” Foster said. “Obviously, Davey (Havili) would have been in there, he’s out. It’s something that if he does well, it gives us a great option.
“The question before was how settled are we in the 23, well he’s got something to play for.”
Fainga’anuku says he’s been training to be ready for any challenge in any position.
“It’s a position that I’ve constantly been building through Super Rugby and obviously here, now an opportunity at international level.
“For me, it’s been consistently covering that week-in, week-out, make sure I’ve got the toolbox to be able to adjust my game when I do get the opportunity to slip in. For me, I am happy in any spot in the backline.”
Comments on RugbyPass
One tough SOB!
15 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
1 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
2 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Could the victim do a course to reverse the long term CTE damage from the cheapshot?
2 Go to commentsTruely great player. In social media and opinion pieces he was held up and flogged for the results. People wanted someone to crucify, and he was the captain. He was still an immense presence respected by his peers. His battles with Siya Kolisi belong up with with Collins vs Burger in my opinion. Unlucky to be carded in the final, but I don’t agree that his red card was the defining moment. Not when you look at the dominant performances of the Springboks (PSDT in particular.) I think Cane should be remembered for the spirit and physicality that is special to test rugby.
15 Go to commentsSam was the man until he got injured .
15 Go to comments_Crusaders versus Leinster _at the moment might be a rout! But I would like to see the Blues play Toulouse, the Hurricanes front up against Stade Francais, and the Chiefs go against Toulon.
157 Go to commentsLove it when we overlap! Promise it was not forethought.
18 Go to commentsjfc can this guy plz stay out of the news for one week
2 Go to commentsIf stormers aren’t available. Based on form and likely availability at the time of the wales Test, you’d think Masuku would be a no-brainer to start. But starting Jordan also makes sense having Masuku come off the bench to close out the game.
2 Go to commentsGlad Tom Curry not playing needs time to recover such a great player also his brother Ben how well is he playing now .
1 Go to commentsLet’s examine what might be irking the brainless E: Up until 20 years before this coming Julys tests: 16 games: 14 wins for SA; 1 win for Ire; 1 draw From 20 years until July’ tests Ireland V SA: 13 matches Ireland won 8; SA won 4; 1 draw Points scored Ireland 261; SA 189 Ave Winning Margin: Ireland 11 points; SA 4 points (away 3, home 6) Away win record: Ireland 33.33%; SA 25% Neutral matches 1: Ireland win RWC France 2023. Last SA win June 2016 (8 years ago) They boast 3 World cups in that period (they do boast). The above record is not good, probably not much better than theirs against NZ for same period. That’s why the dopey E is starting fights in his head. He will probably ship a yellow when things don’t go their way in the first test.
127 Go to commentsGoode is like a wet fart on The Rugby Pod and should be shoved aside. Jim knows what he is on about and can get on better without Goode’s nasty little cheap shots.
127 Go to commentsBrumbies will win, crusaders are pretty awful this year
1 Go to commentsThis has the makings of a good match. That’s Leinster’s second team but its a good one (stronger than the teams in SA recently). Ulster are really turning a page. Ryan back is huge, and Keenan too. This could be a cracker.
1 Go to commentsThe Farrells are one of the great father and son combinations. Andy was an RL great, and had he played Union as his first sport, I would be sure he would have been avery significant forcewas in League. And Owen, a Union great, who had he played League, would could have been a great there too i all probability. I feel my attitude to Owen has mellowed as he has aged, and in the post Jones era, evolved and shown his full range of talents. He really is an all round player, and I have wold hope his move to France will be successful. He may even be the piece in the jigsaw that Racing need to rise to challenge Toulouse and LAR. He is ofc now approaching 33 years of age but should still have enough left to make a big contribution in France for at least2/3 years.
45 Go to commentsI reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
2 Go to commentsHaha did he also* say it in a sarcastic teacher sort of manor or was it the petulant English snob sort of wail?
45 Go to commentsWell said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
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