Cameron Roigard’s immediate return shows he is now the All Blacks’ most important player
Friday, 26 September 2025
ANALYSIS: Cameron Roigard has only played seven tests since Scott Robertson took over as All Blacks coach - and none against the Springboks - and the first Bledisloe test on Saturday may prove further evidence that the fate of the men in black has become hitched to the health of the Hurricanes halfback.
Scott Barrett’s unavailability due to a shoulder injury was the headline piece of news in Thursday’s team naming for the clash against the Wallabies, but Roigard’s return to the All Blacks No 9 jersey will have more influence on the outcome of the test.
Roigard hasn’t played much rugby in the past two months, but his 33-minute cameo off the bench for Counties Manukau against Auckland last weekend was enough for the All Blacks selectors to inject him into the starting lineup for the massive Eden Park test.
There aren’t too many players in the All Blacks who would be brought back with such relative haste, but Robertson has learnt a hard lesson in his first 21 tests in charge - they aren’t the same team without Roigard.
While there isn’t a lot between players in multiple positions throughout the squad - Barrett’s absence, for example, will be well covered by Tupou Vaa’i, Fabian Holland and Patrick Tuipulotu - there is a clear gap between Roigard and the other All Blacks halfbacks.
Robertson can’t say it publicly, but he’ll likely feel that his tenure so far has been judged incompletely with Roigard only available for 33% of the time - and a number of those tests involved the halfback coming back from injuries.
Just how much output the All Blacks get out of Roigard at Eden Park is unclear, but they clearly want to start fast to settle the nerves and stop the Wallabies from growing in belief.
The lack of enforced changes in the remainder of the 23 to face the Wallabies reinforces Robertson’s belief in cohesion theory, and points to a belief that Roigard has been the biggest missing piece of the puzzle.
Billy Proctor has survived what was surely a deep conversation about the midfield mix, but ultimately the message is that the All Blacks feel they are largely on the right track selection-wise despite the heavy loss to the Springboks in Wellington.
Peter Lakai is an intriguing selection ahead of Hurricanes team-mate Du’Plessis Kirifi on the bench, but Robertson has stuck solid with the core group of players he has used this year.
Roigard’s running game and booming left boot will be expected to deliver major improvements to the All Blacks attack, and his inclusion gives the All Blacks a far more threatening look after they have stumbled through the opening four rounds of the Rugby Championship.
All Blacks: Will Jordan, Leroy Carter, Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Cam Roigard; Wallace Sititi, Ardie Savea (capt), Simon Parker, Tupou Vaa’i, Fabian Holland, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot; Reserves: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, Patrick Tuipulotu, Peter Lakai, Cortez Ratima, Quinn Tupaea, Damian McKenzie