The stage appears set for Cam Roigard to truly announce his presence to the global rugby world.
New Zealand rugby audiences are well familiar with Roigard’s talent but with injuries restricting him to 14 tests in three years, he’s yet to captivate the Northern Hemisphere in the same manner.
A Grand Slam tour, as the All Blacks attempt to knock off Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales in successive weeks away from home, sets the scene for Roigard to stamp his status as one of the world’s premier halfbacks.
That starts this weekend in Chicago, when he opposes New Zealand-raised counterpart Jamison Gibson-Park, the adopted British & Irish Lions halfback, who is well established among the world’s elite nines.
This time last year, Roigard emerged off the bench in his return from a long-term knee injury as the All Blacks ended Ireland’s 19-match unbeaten run in Dublin.
Now he’s regained the starting mantle after once more returning from injury – this time a foot stress fracture – with two impressive performances against the Wallabies, to relish the chance to duke it out with Gibson-Park in front of 61,000 at Soldier Field.
“It’s another kettle of fish, starting and being able to have a massive influence on the game. That’s something I’m really looking forward to. As long as I can have some impact I’ll be happy,” Roigard tells the Herald in Chicago.
“I’ve always loved going up against the best to really challenge myself. This week will be no different. Jamison is a great player. He’s massive for their side in terms of driving and running the game. His kicking game is strong. He’s massive defensively. He’s really confident and will back himself no matter what.
“It’s great for me to go up against him and hopefully the fans will enjoy that battle. We don’t get many opportunities to play these Northern Hemisphere sides so to be starting against him is awesome.”
Last November in Paris, after making his return with two appearances off the bench against Ireland and England, Roigard signalled his world-class abilities by upstaging French superstar Antoine Dupont on his home patch.
While the test on Sunday morning (NZT) is his first start against any of the home unions, Roigard assumes confidence from his performance against Dupont as he embraces facing off with Gibson-Park.
“Playing against someone like Antoine Dupont is something I got really excited for. I love the pressure games and those big opportunities to show the skillset I’ve got on the world stage. There’s a lot of anticipation around games like that.
“Reflecting on that you get a bit of self-belief. The first time you go up against someone who everyone talks about as one of the best in the world there is a bit of uncertainty because you know he’s really good, and he could put you on ice and expose you if you’re not up for it. The way I played in that French test, I was pretty happy with my own individual performance.
“The self-belief is always there. I’ll always back myself no matter who I’m up against.”
Any halfback’s efforts are dictated by the performance of their forward pack, but Roigard’s influence is widely evident on the All Blacks. His big left boot is a tactical weapon and his size and strength allow him to cope with pressure at the breakdown. From the moment he returned from injury to play a major hand in locking away the Bledisloe Cup by scoring two tries at Eden Park, he helped ignite the previously stuttering All Blacks attack.
Ireland must be alert for Roigard’s consistent sniping threat from the base that can break teams open while forcing opposition defenders to hold at the ruck, which frees up time and space elsewhere.
“The big thing for me is finding my flow so I’m comfortable and confident out there and in a state of mind where I’m not forcing things, not hesitant, to take those opportunities. It’s something you build and try to train so if there are opportunities I’m seeing them, I’m taking them in training so I cue myself up for what might be ahead.”
Roigard was a baffling omission from the bench at the 2023 World Cup, where Finlay Christie was on the bench behind Aaron Smith, as the All Blacks consigned Ireland to more quarter-final heartbreak in one of the all-time great matches.
But having featured in last year’s success in Dublin, with the backdrop of Rieko Ioane and Jonathan Sexton’s feud, Roigard believes the rivalry between the All Blacks and Ireland could light the fuse for this Grand Slam tour.
“There’s a lot of feeling behind it. The recent history shows it’s so even. For us it’s about trying to find a bit of edge to set up our week. We have a fair idea of what they’ll bring. They’re fresh into their international season so they’ll be excited, and they’ll still be hurt from last year and the World Cup.
“It’s pretty easy to motivate a group for a game like this to start our Grand Slam tour. There’s not many games bigger than this and to be playing in Chicago makes me pretty pumped.”
Scott Robertson’s All Blacks largely flattered to deceive during their turbulent Rugby Championship campaign, which included their heaviest loss in history and first away defeat in Argentina.
Further concerns emerged with All Blacks assistant coach Jason Holland exiting Robertson’s coaching team at the end of the year.
Roigard, though, projects positivity about the All Blacks prospects after successive wins against the Wallabies and having a week and a half to prepare for this match.
“Some of the results in the Rugby Championship didn’t go our way, but those two Australian tests were good for us to try and get more consistent. The result in Perth in pretty terrible conditions, for the forwards to roll their sleeves up and be really physical, was massive for us.
“Damian [McKenzie] and I did a pretty good job controlling the game and the scoreboard, which was necessary. These Northern Hemisphere teams, they’re very physical, they kick a lot, they’re very structured so it’s similar to our last game.
“The difference to the Rugby Championship and July series is we’re not playing the same team twice, so there’s no second chances. If we want to achieve the Grand Slam, we’ve got to play well every week and keep getting better. I love that challenge and the pressure behind it.”
Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.