Hurricanes break Highlanders hearts with last-gasp Cam Roigard try
Friday, 16 May 2025
At Sky Stadium, Wellington: Hurricanes 24 (Bailyn Sullivan 12’, Cam Roigard 47’, 80+1’ tries; Ruben Love 3 con, pen) Highlanders 20 (Jonah Lowe 2’, 18’ tries; Taine Robinson 2 con, 2 pen). HT. 7-14.
Heartbreak for the Highlanders.
Their Super Rugby Pacific finals hopes are all but over after Hurricanes halfback Cam Roigard scored with the final play to snatch a dramatic 24-20 victory at Sky Stadium in Wellington on Friday night.
A wonky lineout throw from replacement hooker Soane Vikena with 70 seconds to go proved costly as it gave the Hurricanes one final crack at the try line in replacement playmaker Brett Cameron’s first game back from a long-term injury.
The Hurricanes led for less than 10 of the 81 minutes but emerged victorious from a bruising contest to solidify their place in the top six.
The Hurricanes have not lost at home to the Highlanders since the 2015 grand final.
“I think we’re getting closer,” beaten coach Jamie Joseph lamented.
“It’s a game of inches when you get two quality sides. But when it counts you’ve got to nail it and execute, and I guess that’s the hard lesson for us tonight.”
Roigard scored two second-half tries to lead the fightback. The All Blacks No. 9’s 81st-minute winner came after he thought he had thrown the game away.
The Hurricanes turned down a kickable penalty in the final five minutes that could have sent the game to extra time.
They packed down a scrum inside the 22-metre line and tried to win in regulation but Roigard threw his pass over the sideline as the Hurricanes attacked down the right.
The Highlanders survived a yellow card to co-captain Timoci Tavatavanawai to lead 14-7 at halftime thanks to two tries from right winger Jonah Lowe.
Lowe’s second was the best of the bunch. The Highlanders went 75 metres to score after Tanielu Tele’a bumped off Ngane Punivai and sent Lowe sprinting down the right wing.
Tavatavanawai was shown a yellow card midway through the first half for an ugly head-first tackle on Ruben Love as the Hurricanes No. 10 lunged to move sideways.
The Highlanders’ star second five-eighth spent 10 minutes in the sin bin but the Hurricanes failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage and were kept scoreless during that period.
The Hurricanes spent most of the second half camped inside the Highlanders half but they blew chance after chance to take the lead to put the Highlanders away in a wasteful performance.
All the momentum was with the hosts as Fihe Fineanganofo was denied the go-ahead try by a forward pass, a wild Roigard pass flew over the sideline with clear runway in front of Fineanganofo and Callum Harkin couldn’t quite ground the ball after winning a sprint to a Riley Higgins kick through.
After multiple near misses, the Hurricanes opted to take the points from a penalty kick.
Love put them ahead in the 61st minute but it was only temporary as Taine Robinson landed two kicks of his own to nudge the Highlanders back in front.
His second penalty in quick succession, with eight minutes remaining, appeared to be enough to keep their finals hopes alive for another week but the Highlanders came up agonisingly short.
After 21 phases, Roigard spied a gap and burrowed over under the posts. The match-winner clenched his fists and punted the ball in the air in celebration.
“It’s pretty hard to defend around the posts because obviously it’s a big barrier. I just saw that space pop up and was able to dive over,” Roigard beamed.
“It was good the boys didn’t drop our heads, didn’t give up. We gave ourselves an opportunity by competing at that lineout which ultimately was the difference between us winning and losing.”
The win took a toll on the Hurricanes. They lost No. 8 Brayden Iose to an early ankle injury and starting wingers Punivai (ankle) and Bailyn Sullivan (failed HIA) never returned after halftime.
The injuries to Punivai and Sullivan forced coach Clark Laidlaw to turn to Cameron much earlier than planned in his first game since rupturing his ACL seven months ago.
Cameron came on at the start of the second half and made an immediate impact. He had a hand in Roigard’s first try, releasing Callum Harkin down the left with a brilliant skip pass over the top of two other teammates.
The big picture
Although they picked up a losing bonus point it’s not enough for the Highlanders. They remain eight points outside the top six with only two games to go. The Hurricanes’ third win in a row saw them leapfrog the Blues into fifth place. They have 30 points and have the Queensland Reds in their sights.
What’s next
The Highlanders take on the Crusaders in a South Island derby in Christchurch next Friday. The Hurricanes are away to the Reds in Brisbane the same night in a match that could decide fourth spot.