Red-hot Hurricanes leave Highlanders in their wake after another Cam Roigard masterclass

Friday, 20 March 2026

At Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin: Hurricanes 50 (Cam Roigard 2 tries 14min, 21min, Fehi Fineanganofo 3 tries 34min, 62min, 70min, Devan Flanders try 50min, Bailyn Sullivan try 66min, Peter Lakai try 80min; Ruben Love 5 cons) Highlanders 7 (Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens try 6min; Reesjan Pasitoa con). HT: 19-7.

Yellow card: Xavier Numia (Hurricanes) 54min; Veveni Lasaqa (Highlanders) 61min.

Another Cam Roigard masterclass against the Highlanders sent the red-hot Hurricanes surging to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific standings courtesy of a decisive victory under the roof in Dunedin on Friday night.

The All Blacks halfback would probably love it if he could run out against the Landers every week, such is his record against them. A try double on Friday night at Forsyth Barr Stadium took his tally to seven in five games against the southerners as the Canes extended their winning streak over the Dunedin franchise to 10, stretching back a half-dozen years.

Roigard was at his sniping best throughout as the Hurricanes ran in eight tries to leave the Highlanders in their dust in a bonus-point runaway victory that improves them to a table-topping 4-1, and 20 competition points.

The Landers, with a second defeat on the bounce, fall to 2-4 and remain on 9 points, with daylight starting to emerge between them and the top six.

It was an outstanding performance from the Hurricanes – their best of a pretty impressive early season – as they taught the southerners a lesson in quality finishing, slick handling and sustained attack.

Roigard lit the fuse for them with a first-half try double, but there were any number of standouts for the visitors in a comprehensive performance. Ruben Love was fabulous in his first start of the year at No 10, hinting at some exciting things to come in the first-receiver role, skipper Jordie Barrett and Billy Proctor excelled in midfield and wing Fehi Fineanganofo produced another masterclass in finishing with his second hat-trick of the season.

Up front the Canes back did the job splendidly, big Warner Dearns dominant in the lineout, Peter Lakai leading an outstanding effort in the loose, and capping it with a try at the death to bring up the half-century, and the visiting scrum edging that battle against a quality foe.

The injury-hit Landers fired a few shots early, with Caleb Tangitau and try-scorer Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens looking threatening, but faded as the contest wore on. They were a distant second in this contest, and have a bit to think about now.

It had been the Highlanders who settled best early, fullback Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens across for the first score, after just five minutes, on the back of a Tangitau break, and quality Jona Nareki support line.

But then Roigard struck twice in quick succession to put the Canes into the 14-7 lead at the first-quarter mark, and wing Fineanganofo rounded out a trio of first-half tries for the visitors as they surged into a 19-7 halftime lead.

Both teams created their share of chances, but it was the Canes who were the more efficient at converting pressure into points as they kept their side of the scoreboard ticking over. Three lineout steals, led by Dearns’ proficiency at the set piece, also aided the visitors’ cause.

Roigard, of course, was right at the forefront, his quick thinking and sniping ability around the ruck continuing his run of personal success against the southerners. His two first-half scores, the first when he made the defence pay for floating off him near the line and the second a simple tap and go off a scrum penalty, took his try tally to seven in the last five games against the Landers.

The home side went close round the half-hour mark when a brilliant Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens pickup and run looked to have set up Jonah Lowe for the finish, only for it to be rubbed out by a Folau Fakatava knock-on.

Naturally, the Canes made them pay for their profligacy, a fabulous, flat crossfield kick from Love allowing Fineanganofo to cross in the corner, for the 12-point halftime advantage.

The Highlanders needed to respond early in the second spell, but it was the Canes who struck first with Devan Flanders’ finish of a surging move created by Love, Proctor and Fineanganofo putting them out to 26-7.

From there it was pretty much one-way traffic around a couple of yellow cards and a nasty shoulder injury for referee Angus Gardner who picked himself up off the deck to see out the last dozen minutes.

Fineanganofo brought up his hat-trick with a couple of simple finishes out wide and Bailyn Sullivan and Peter Lakai rounded out the scoring for a rampant visiting side who were unleashing the full array of skills. Some had wondered how the Hurricanes would measure up in their first Kiwi derby of the season. They answered that question emphatically.