All Blacks lose World Cup sensation to cruel season-ending injury
The All Blacks and Hurricanes have been dealt a huge injury blow, with scrum-half Cam Roigard set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Roigard was primed to fill Aaron Smith’s void in the Test set-up under new head coach Scott Robertson this year after impressing in his rookie international season last year.
The 23-year-old made his Test debut against Australia in July last year and was one of three scrum-halves named in the All Blacks squad for the Rugby World Cup.
Cam Roigard’s season cut short
Following Smith’s retirement at the end of the tournament, Roigard was tipped to leapfrog Finlay Christie as the starting number nine under Robertson, but a long-term injury curtailed his season.
The Hurricanes have confirmed that the talented halfback ruptured his left patella tendon during the Hurricanes’ 47-12 win over the Highlanders in round six of Super Rugby Pacific on Saturday.
The injury is set to sideline him for at least six months, bringing his Super Rugby Pacific season to a grinding halt and seeing him miss some, if not all, of the All Blacks’ Tests this year.
With the potential return date set in October, he will miss the July Test series against England and the one-off Test against Fiji as well as the entire Rugby Championship campaign.
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“Cam underwent a successful surgery in Auckland yesterday to repair a rupture to his left patella tendon,” the Hurricanes said in a statement.
“Provided his rehabilitation goes well, we could see him back on the paddock as soon as six months from now.”
If his rehabilitation does go well, he may return in time for the November internationals but would have to prove his fitness in the NPC.
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Next in line for the Hurricanes and All Blacks
It’s a cruel blow for the youngster who scored three tries and assisted six for the All Blacks during the 2023 Rugby World Cup and enjoyed a rapid start to the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, scoring three tries and assisting three in his first five games.
Fortunately for the Hurricanes, they do have the experienced TJ Perenara to turn to after he overcame his injury struggles that kept him sidelined for the entirety of 2023.
The 80 Test All Blacks will jostle with Richard Judd and rookie Jordi Viljoen – son of the ex-Stormers nine Joggie Viljoen – for a starting spot in the side.
With veteran Smith retired from international duty, Christie is viewed as one of the leading candidates to fill his role in 2024 under Robertson. Perenara could force his way back into the Test set-up but the likes of Xavier Roe, Cortez Ratima, Noah Hotham, and Folau Fakatava will also be on Robertson’s radar.
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