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
excellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 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
12 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.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to comments