The former All Black halfback that Cam Roigard is drawing comparisons with
Hurricanes halfback Cam Roigard has made a name for himself with regular Super Rugby game time as veteran TJ Perenara recovers from an Achilles injury suffered last year.
The 22-year-old starred for the Hurricanes in a 34-19 win over the Waratahs which demonstrated his running game with two tries, one of which he ran straight over the top of Wallaby flyhalf Ben Donaldson.
Roigard excelled in the NPC last season which led to a call up with the All Blacks XV development side and has continued that form early this season.
Former All Black fullback Mils Muliaina likened his play to another former All Black halfback and said that he is excelling with the extra responsibility the Hurricanes are providing him.
“He’s just really taking his opportunity, Perenara is obviously out so he’s getting regular time in the 9 jersey,” Muliaina told Sky Sport NZ’s The Breakdown panel.
“Last year he was outstanding for Counties Manukau and he goes on the New Zealand XV tour.
“I like the way he plays, he almost reminds me a little bit of Jimmy Cowan.
“He’s really hard, he’s got a nice long kicking game. It’s just confidence too, for him, having regular game time.
“He’s starting to snipe more around the corner now. They’ve obviously given him a lot more responsibility in that position. A lot guys don’t.”
Ex-All Black wing John Kirwan said that the intriguing aspect of Roigard is he offers something which the other form halfbacks don’t.
The current crop of All Black No 9s in Aaron Smith, Folau Fakatava, and Brad Weber are pure passers with an attack-focused game.
“What we love as New Zealanders is, we love an extra loose forward,” Kirwan explained.
“I was around when Andrew Donald was there, we called him Shuffle, Justin Marshall, you know big players that can be an extra loose forward.
“That’s what TJ Perenara is right. When you think about Smith and all the other halfbacks that are in form, Finlay [Christie], Brad [Weber], everyone’s in form, but they are quite similar.
“Do we need that balance where we’ve got that big halfback that can play tough around the rucks.
“I think he has taken his opportunity and for me, that’s what it’s about.”
Chiefs and All Black tightprop Angus Ta’avao said the Hurricanes No 9 is one of the form players in the competition.
He urged the halfback to maintain the balance in his game to make the most of the Hurricanes power forwards they have up front.
“If we talk about what Shaun Stevenson is doing, Cam Roigard is doing that,” Ta’avao said.
“He does have that bigger body but I feel he’s not overplaying it too much. He’s looking for those opportunities when it’s on, two meat pies on the weekend.
“He’s also got that inside ball to Asafo Aumua, he’s got the weapons around to use. That balance will be key for him.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It was the strangest result ever. Etzebeth should've been yellow card for his cynical retiring move and a penalty try. Birth second half tries by the Allblacks were fantastic and the TMO operating outside the law to rule out the first try was egregious. Yes, the boks got the win but it was through some bizarre officiating that allowed them to sneak home against 14 men that dominated them. The quieter Bok supporters know and acknowledge the Allblacks were the better and dominant side. Justifying the win because they beat a pre world cup Allblacks selection is silly.
204 Go to commentsA very English thing to do hey Courtney, blerrie kant
3 Go to commentsIt sounds like Andrew is trying to convince himself or has just lost all perspective. The team did look jaded for the last couple of games of the six nations but a few things were wrong there. Italy tackled their hearts out and made Ireland work hard for every try. Outsmarted by Scotland? Huh? Ireland got held up over the line about 4 times. Scotland did nothing on attack the whole game other than one breakaway near the end. A recharge and reset is needed which they hopefully will have had before the SA your.
7 Go to commentsIncluding SA and Argie teams was great for the quality of rugby, but middle of the night games and player travel/ jet lag make that unworkable. I think that SA in Europe and Argie building an American league with USA, Canada etc would be better long term. If Oz can't sustain Rebels then next cab off the rank should be a Japanese team. Keep regional comps to time zones, both club and test rugby. Then existing test windows for test tours plus RWC.
6 Go to commentsMisogynists have feelings too!
1 Go to commentsCrowd sizes of the URC v the Premiership must be a big factor.
1 Go to commentsWell you’ve made a proper tit of yourself, haven’t you! 😂
173 Go to commentsBen it's beyond their comprehension-
204 Go to commentsThanks Sam. Interesting read. Harder or easier for Parling to come into a completely new setup where performance was abysmal last time out? I’d suggest easier to be better but, as you suggest, will be a lot to do with how much latitude he’s granted. Hopefully all he needs. With hybrids like Holloway, Hannigan, Swinton and Leota as options at 6 we have the basics for a strong lineout. BPA returning means we have good options at 2 also with Faessler, Porecki and Uelese, although Jordan is a scrumming beast rather than a dart thrower. I’m typically a pessimist or realist but that’s never applied to the Wallabies
1 Go to commentsMad how this somehow contained absolutely zero information.
3 Go to commentsI’m looking forward to attending the Twickenham match, I don’t think it will have a bearing on the outcome of the grand prize itself but it will tell us more about each teams’ preparation and game plan. It’s hard to look past one of the big four (I’m including Canada) lifting the trophy in 2025 but sport is a curious thing, there will still be twists and turns in road ahead.
2 Go to commentsThe better side seems to be the losing side a lot these days. As far as narrative goes. Must be the big emergent culture of “participation awards” that have emerged in nanny states. ”It looked like New Zealand would take the game from there but lapses in execution let South Africa get back into the game. New Zealand’s goal kickers left five points out there, including a very make-able penalty on the stroke of half”. Sounds like a chronic problem… I wonder how the better team has lapses in concentration and execution? Or are those not important factors in the grand scheme of total performances? In 2023, the ABs at least didn’t give up a lead to lose. They just couldn’t execute to get the points and take the lead. This Baby AB result points to a choke - letting the game slip through your fingers. In the words of the great Ricky Bobby’s dad - “If you’re not 1st you’re last!” Loosely translated - if you didn’t win, you’re a loser.
10 Go to commentsWith Stuart Lancaster at the helm, Racing 92 looks more and more a mercenaries club like Toulon some years ago and they are not even performing despite all the money on offer.
4 Go to commentsCouple of things BS missed: wind was behind the Baby Blacks in the first half. Baby Boks got points from a scrum penalty in the final quarter against this ‘dominant pack’, and left three points on the park after a missed penalty.
10 Go to commentsSensible thoughts on this, Brett. Also worth considering we’ve sold 60k tickets for a game between the Rebels and the Lions next year. Got to be roughly $10m in ticket and game day revenue there.
6 Go to commentsUnsuccessful bitter ex Ulster player taking a pop shot at a side that isn't including his consistently poor mates up north
7 Go to commentsHis decision to play in France isn’t a petulant decision as this article suggests. I reckon that France is the perfect place to demonstrate that he can mix it in those battles Rassie references. It’s a good decision to try get into the squad. My personal opinion is that he wins more battles than he loses. I don’t have Rassie’s stats machine behind me, but Daymian’s is so strong moving through traffic and in the rip.
4 Go to commentsWow! Argie forward dominance is something I have not read in years….
1 Go to commentsIs the ‘snub’ really why he is leaving? He hasn’t said that has he? You don’t have to stay in SA to play for the Boks, so it’s not that he’s giving up on trying to get into the squad as the case would be in, say, England or New Zealand. Rassie made it clear that the early camps won’t feature all the players to play for the Boks this year so I can’t imagine Dayimani was too offended by being overlooked this time. It just seems like a sensationalist angle to take for a story without really knowing the player’s intentions.
4 Go to commentsWell, it is easily one of the best Irish sides, it’s just that their historical standard is very low.
7 Go to comments