All Blacks on claim Cam Roigard involved in protocol breach
The All Blacks are insisting that in-form scrumhalf Cam Roigard was not involved in any breach of team protocol in the lead-up to their crunch quarter-final match with Ireland in Paris this weekend.
Roigard was not named in the 23, with head coach Ian Foster preferring Finlay Christie on the bench with Aaron Smith starting against the world number ones.
His omission comes as winger Mark Telea was dropped from the team for a breach of team protocol, the details of which have not been elaborated on, although RugbyPass understands it related to team downtime.
This week Roigard was named as having his contract with the NZR extended.
"What would make you think it was discipline?" said Foster when quizzed on whether Roigard had stepped out of line. "We just felt it was horses for courses for this particular game. We think Finlay has an edge defensively. I think there will be a lot of action around the ruck defensively. We have been delighted with Cam's form and in a different type of game, it might have gone slightly differently. But this one here we have gone for that.
"I am not going to talk about it again. It's minor," said Foster of the Telea incident. "I think it says volumes, we believe what we stand for. I think that speaks volumes for the team when we make that sort of decision."
Ardie Savea backed Foster's call on the wayward winger, saying: "Look, Foz has obviously addressed it. It is what it is. We love him but he won't be looking forward to a game this Friday."
Meanwhile, Roigard had at least an extension with the Hurricanes to celebrate as the NZR looked to lock down their latest halfback find.
The 22-year-old halfback has been a revelation for the Hurricanes after a breakout 2023 Super Rugby Pacific. He ended up closing out the season as the club’s joint top try-scorer with nine tries in 14 games.
Roigard has scored two tries at the Rugby World Cup, had a hand in three try assists, and was named man of the match in his first game of the tournament against Namibia in Toulouse.
Latest Comments
> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
Go to comments