All Blacks: Cam Roigard among 13 players released to play NPC matches after Springboks thumping

Cam Roigard missed the opening four rounds of the Rugby Championship after fracturing his foot in July. Photo / Photosport

All Blacks halfback Cam Roigard is set to return to provincial rugby after recovering from a fractured foot, bolstering the side’s No 9 stocks ahead of their Bledisloe Cup tests.

The 24-year-old is one of 13 members of the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship squad who have been released to play for their provincial teams in round eight of the Bunnings Warehouse NPC.

Roigard’s return comes after fellow halfback Noah Hotham was this week ruled out for the upcoming Bledisloe Cup tests after an ankle injury. The 22-year-old has had surgery on a fractured fibula he suffered in the ninth minute of the All Blacks’ record-breaking 43-10 loss to the Springboks in Wellington.

Hotham was making his return to the side after suffering a high ankle sprain that he sustained during the All Blacks’ third test against France in July.

Roigard was ruled out of the opening four rounds of the Rugby Championship as he recovered from a fractured right foot, also suffered during the French series.

The All Blacks said Roigard would be available for Counties Manukau’s clash with Auckland on Saturday afternoon in Pukekohe – where he will be playing against teammates Caleb Clarke and Rieko Ioane, who are set to don the blue-and-white hoops.

Elsewhere, Wellington welcome back three All Blacks – loose forward Peter Lakai and backs Ruben Love and Kyle Preston – as they host Southland on Saturday afternoon.

Waikato, bolstered by the release of Samipeni Finau, Luke Jacobson and Anton Lienert-Brown, travel to Blenheim to take on Tasman on Saturday night, who will also have midfielder Leicester Fainga’anuku.

Meanwhile, Josh Lord, George Bower and Pasilio Tosi are available for Taranaki, Otago and Bay of Plenty’s matches respectively.

Otago will challenge Canterbury for the Ranfurly Shield on Saturday afternoon in what could be the fourth change of holders this season.

The list of All Blacks playing for their provincial teams is as follows:

Friday September 19

Taranaki v Hawkes Bay – Stadium Taranaki, 7.10pm

Taranaki: Josh Lord

Saturday September 20

Counties Manukau v Auckland – Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe, 2.05pm

Counties Manukau: Cam Roigard

Auckland: Caleb Clarke, Rieko Ioane

Wellington v Southland – Porirua Park, 2.05pm

Wellington: Peter Lakai, Kyle Preston, Ruben Love

Canterbury v Otago – Apollo Projects Stadium, 4.35pm

Otago: George Bower

Tasman v Waikato – Lansdowne Park, 7.10pm

Tasman: Leicester Fainga’anuku

Waikato: Samipeni Finau, Luke Jacobson, Anton Lienert-Brown

Sunday September 21

Manawatū v Bay of Plenty – Central Energy Trust Arena, 4.35pm

Bay of Plenty: Pasilio Tosi