Why All Black Cam Roigard was overlooked for Ireland quarter-final

Cam Roigard will not play Ireland this weekend. The rising star has been omitted from the All Blacks team to take on the world’s top-ranked side, with Finlay Christie set to come off the bench at Stade de France.

Almost a day before the All Blacks officially named their team to take on the Irish in Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarterfinal, rumours of two massive selection bombshells began to swirl online.

New Zealand Herald scribe Liam Napier reported that Mark Telea was set to be miss out – with coach Ian Foster later confirming this due to disciplinary reasons – and Roigard was set to be overlooked.

The absence of Roigard has undoubtedly come as a surprise to many. Roigard has been a revelation in the black jersey in France, with the young gun receiving Player of the Match honours after his first start against Namibia.

But with the All Blacks carrying the ‘underdogs’ tag into a quarter-final for possibly the first time ever, coach Ian Foster believes Christie “has an edge defensively” as the New Zealanders prepare for a rugby war at the Parisian venue.

"What would make you think it was discipline? We just felt it was horses for courses for this particular game,” Foster told reporters in Paris.

“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."

Joining Finlay Christie on the bench is in-form playmaker Damian McKenzie. McKenzie has scored five tries at the tournament so far, including a double last week against Uruguay.

Many New Zealand rugby fans wanted to see McKenzie start at fullback against the Irish but coach Foster has stuck with veteran Beauden Barrett in the No. 15 jersey.

“He's playing well but (I) like the combinations we are getting. (I) like that we've got a change-up option as the game unfolds and I think the trio of Richie [Mo'unga], Beaudy and Damian is looking [agreeable] at the moment,” Foster said when asked about McKenzie.

“But also really delighted with Richie and Beaudy's form so it's a tough decision but the great thing is Damian has come in and really put his hand up with his form. It gives us some good impact off that bench."

The All Blacks have only failed to make it to the semi-finals on one occasion. 16 years ago, as All Blacks fans will struggle to forget, the New Zealanders were beaten by France in Cardiff.

New Zealand have won two of the three World Cups since. This is a team that know how to win quarter-finals, but they’re still the underdogs.

Ireland are on a 17-Test unbeaten streak, and they’re also looking to break a dreaded curse that’s hung over the Irish for far too long. They’ve never made it past the quarter-finals.

"It gives us confidence that we know what it's about,” Foster continued.

"In my time, 2015, we had to deal with the demons of Cardiff and France and people talking about 2007. In 2019 it was all about playing a red-hot Irish team who has beaten us the year before and coming into the tournament number one so there is a lot of synergies if you look at the past but what you have heard is that the real lesson is it doesn't mean anything.

"We have been preparing really well over the last month, we're ready to go and I'm sure they have too. It should be a great game."