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
anybody who bends at the waist when they tackle
3 Go to commentsThe evidence is not strong that this is necessary. Mounga choked on clutch kicks in the WRC final and lost the match by not performing his core goal kicking role to the level required. He also choked in the Semi final against England and was targeted as the weak point in the defence allowing them to score. Not a test great frankly. Why bend the rules for a player that is competent but not brilliant at test level?
11 Go to commentsDear Robbie, Please return to the Crusaders next season. Sincerely, Scott
1 Go to commentsDid the big E call the Irish the ‘White Can’ts’? That would’ve been good
32 Go to commentsDalton Papalii will be lucky to be selected on the Matchday 23. Ardie Savea, Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson, and Peter Lauki are all as good or better openside flankers
9 Go to commentsScott Barrett is a lock and they have a much longer shelf life than a loose forward. Far more likely that Barrett will still demand a starting position based on performance at age 33 at RWC 2027 than Savea, whose explosive athleticism will have declined and he will in all likelihood have been surpassed by Hoskins Sotutu, Wallace Siti, Peter Lauki and Brayden Iose.
9 Go to commentsExtremely frustrating to get yet more speculation over whether or not Eben actually counted 12 players or not, but honestly big respect to McCloskey for keeping it classy and not pointing out Etzebeth’s hypocrisy. The Irish are a popular team outside of Ireland because they do their talking on the pitch, and its honestly a PR masterclass that they’re keeping it that way following Etzebeth’s provocation.
32 Go to commentsGood option for the lineout lost there.
1 Go to commentsIt’s not like Saffas have a long history of spouting absolute shite at any & every occasion. Oh wait… The dangers of an inferior third world education strike again.
32 Go to commentsI’m so glad we’re revisiting this. Really needs to be dissected further. I’m also so glad that a guy in the stands who wasn’t anywhere near the field when any of it would have been said (and even confirms this) has taken the lead and commented as Ireland. Definitely cleared it all up. This article would be hilarious if it wasn’t so misleading.
32 Go to commentsits such a shame he hasn’t achieved more success at club level. He’s really not been a potent finisher for a while now, but he’s still excellent in the kick chase. That’s the kind of skillset that generally only gets appreciated when you’re playing in premiership and european finals. I’m not sure whether the challenge cup counts given the quality of the competition seems lower than in previous years, but his duel with Mapimpi should be enthralling.
1 Go to commentsThe point is the irish players were arrogant,call it like you want sugar coat it aswell but they were you could see it in their way they handeled themselfs on the field when they got something right so dont tell me it was not arrogance it was,you can fool other people but not me,and to say to one of our players see you in the final put a nail in the coffin for this bullsh@t,just be grown men and accept it that you were arrogant,you could if seen it from a mile away, and then you lost to the allblacks what a cocky move that didnt work out for you ,Eben was right when he said u were arrogant,the point is you will deny it because you lost it all just grow some balls and move on we had won you lost accept it.
32 Go to comments“summer tour of North and South America” so its a summer tour of america?
1 Go to commentsEverybody is giving the Irish players the benefit of the doubt in ‘what they meant’, but none of these pundits or commentators offer the same courtesy to Eben. I don’t think Eben went, 1, 2, 3… etc. What might have happened is he didn’t count and when the 3rd or 5th guy said he went, hang on why are so many of them saying this… and then started to concentrate on it more and more as players continue to say it. So no, he didn’t count it, he realised many Irish players said it and made an assumption based on that… The Irish team was VERY confident at the time and I do believe they believed they were going to win the World Cup, which borders a bit on the arrogant side…
32 Go to commentsI can see how some of the Irish players would have said”see you in the final” as a gentle comment after a victory. It’s open to interpretation but it’s clumsy language. I don’t know the fella but I assure you Eben doesn’t have an axe to grind with Ireland. He has never been the media seeking pro. Oh and BTW it is I’ll be our winter in July so won’t be wet.
32 Go to comments*McCloskey*: _I saw this clip. Like, I wasn’t playing that game; I was in the stands…so you don't know sh!t in other words, infact you know just as much as Goode on this matter. I will believe the guy who was on the pitch when things were said as appose to two people speculating over what was said._
32 Go to comments@ turlough dream on buddy. Your boys are in for one tough time down in sa this summer…
32 Go to commentsI think Goode is looking to establish a platform for himself. Eben said “Probably” so that suggests he wasn’t counting. It’s an estimate Goode. I think even with your short and uneventful experience with the Sharks you probably realise winding up Saffas will get you some airtime. It’s a none event. Move on
32 Go to commentsRugby has never been as structured and synthetically pleasing as it is at this moment. The game is simply beautiful and messing with it too much will ruin it for everyone. I can't help but feel that over the past decade or so many rules have been changed to accommodate a certain hemisphere and counter another. Perhaps I am wrong but I somehow don’t think so.
2 Go to commentsNoted some excellent defensive steals from the Rebs last week against the Reds, largely J Canham, I think. It’s not a Rolls Royce but they are a real threat with their defensive line out at the beginning matches. What do you make of Canham Nick, WBs squad material?
86 Go to comments