The superstar 21-year-old scrumhalf that outplayed TJ Perenara in just his second provincial start
Wellington, with their starting XV laden with Super Rugby experience and three All Blacks in the form of Asafo Aumua, Ardie Savea and TJ Perenara, were expected to have too much firepower for Waikato in their opening match of the provincial season.
While Aumua, Savea and Perenara added plenty of joie de vivre to Wellington’s attack – and played major roles in the Lions’ four tries, they weren’t able to keep Waikato’s counter-attack in check and ultimately succumbed 53-28.
In fact, it was Perenara’s opposite, 21-year-old Xavier Roe, who sparked the home side to their highest ever score against Wellington.
Roe, who boarded at Hamilton Boys’ High School but spent the first two years of his provincial career with Taranaki, was starting just his second provincial match.
In 2018 and 2019, Roe accrued just six matches for the Bulls. His solitary start ironically came in an unsuccessful Ranfurly Shield defence against Waikato in his second game for Taranaki. After two seasons in New Plymouth, Roe has now made the move back to Hamilton and despite having just a handful of caps to his name, is the senior halfback in the squad.
His one-two combination with fellow youngster Cortez Ratima could blossom into something exceptional for the Mooloos, especially if Roe’s showing on Saturday is anything to go by.
The 2018 New Zealand Under 20s representative let Wellington know in the 15th minute that although he was playing in his Waikato debut, he wasn’t going to go into his shell. With Waikato on attack five metres out from the try-line and five metres in from the sideline, Roe threw a dummy pass towards Damian McKenzie on the wing then scooted between Vince Aso and Connor Garden-Bachop to score his side’s first try of the afternoon.
The little halfback then made the most of a penalty advantage – thanks to Perenara rushing up offside – to dab through a perfectly weighted kick for Adam Thomson to touch down shortly after halftime.
38 and still got it ?????#WAIvWEL pic.twitter.com/CbUbOyINj7
— Bunnings NPC (@BunningsNPC) September 12, 2020
That’s not to suggest that Perenara didn’t also stamp his influence on the game. The 65-test All Black threw the final pass for two of Wellington’s four tries and tried his best to get under the Waikato players’ skin with a few choice comments. It was also his slightly dodgy pass that McKenzie pounced on to run almost 100 metres and score the decisive blow, however.
Roe, on the other hand, had not a black mark against his name. His running game caused plenty of problems for Wellington, he mixed up his play well to keep the opposition guessing, and his delivery of the ball was reliable enough – though the speed and accuracy of his pass will likely be a work-on for the 21-year-old, as it is for all young halfbacks.
With Roe one of just two scrumhalves in the Waikato squad, ample minutes should be on offer throughout the competition and could pave the way for higher honours.
All Blacks Brad Weber and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi are both on the Chiefs’ books for next year but there’s certainly space for a young man like Roe to join the team. He’ll likely be competing for the berth with this year’s third-choice at the Chiefs, Lisati Milo-Harris – who was preferred ahead of Roe at Taranaki last season. Bay of Plenty’s Leroy Carter and Roe’s teammate Ratima are the other possibilities – if Warren Gatland and Clayton McMillan want to focus their attentions on the Chiefs traditional catchment area.
"Whenever you got pulled into Tana’s office just by yourself, usually it wasn’t great news."
In 2016, Bryn Hall was dropped by the Blues. A year later, he was a #SuperRugby winner. The @CrusadersRugby halfback spoke to @TomVinicombe about his move south.https://t.co/0fVJkgSgsf
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 30, 2020
While it’s obviously early days in the Mitre 10 Cup, Roe’s promise from his time with the New Zealand Under 20s and other age-grade sides, combined with the way he performed against one of the competition’s title-favourites, suggests that Waikato could have a future superstar on their hands.
The 2006 provincial winners have struggled for continuity in the halfback role over the last decade. Tawera Kerr-Barlow was a standout for the side when available but was often occupied by All Blacks commitments while Brad Weber was exceptional in his three seasons with the team before relocating to Hawke’s Bay.
Jack Stratton, a former Cantabrian, showed promise over the past two seasons but has now set up shop in Japan. Meanwhile, the likes of Kylem O’Donnell, Raniera Takarangi and Harrison Levien all spent time in the squad but never nailed down a spot.
The Roe and Ratima combination – although inexperienced – possesses immense potential and the competition between two of New Zealand’s most promising halfbacks should hopefully bring out the best in both of them.
Further down the line, the All Blacks have three relatively ageing halves on the ledger and opportunities will certainly come calling in the future.
For now, however, Roe just needs to string together a run of assured performances. TJ Perenara was possibly as big a challenge as one could ask for but there are plenty of talented and experienced halfbacks running around in the Mitre 10 cup who will put pressure on Waikato’s first choice. The challenges won’t get any easier for Roe with Crusader Bryn Hall on the agenda next weekend. There’s simply no better way of improving, however, than going up against the best-of-the-best week-in and week-out.
That’s the beauty of New Zealand’s provincial competition.
Comments on RugbyPass
Good to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
16 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
16 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
16 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
16 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
16 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
16 Go to comments