All Blacks: Cam Roigard slammed for ‘disgusting’ football antics in Hurricanes’ semi-final victory
Cameron Roigard and Beauden Barrett during the Super Rugby Pacific semi-final between the Hurricanes and Blues.
All Blacks scrum-half Cam Roigard has been slammed for seemingly faking an injury after a collision with Beauden Barrett during the Super Rugby Pacific semi-final between the Hurricanes and Blues.
The Hurricanes secured their place in the competition’s final after putting the Blues to the sword, charging to a 57-21 victory on Saturday in Wellington after a hard-fought first half in the nation’s capital.
Roigard played a pivotal role in the result, grabbing a try and setting up the first score of the match, making the line break that eventually led to Jordie Barrett crossing the whitewash.
However, his actions before running through the Blues’ defence have come under the spotlight, with the number nine being accused of simulation after an aerial collision with opposition full-back Barrett.
In the second minute of the game, Barrett chipped the ball over the Hurricanes‘ first line of defence and chased after his own kick. However, he got his kick-chase all wrong as he collided with Roigard, who was in the air catching the ball.
The ‘Canes half-back fell to the ground and lay as if he was injured, with players from both teams checking on him. Roigard then jumped to his feet, took a quick tap and sprinted into open field; he ran just shy of the Blues 22 before offloading to Ruben Love, who linked up with Billy Proctor, with the phase ending deep inside the 22.
Cam Roigard slammed
After a few phases, Roigard fired the ball out to Jordie Barrett, who grabbed the opening try of the Super Rugby Pacific semi-final. Fans spotted the scrum-half’s antics, which they linked to football-esque diving and simulation, with many taking exception to his behaviour.
“Miraculous recovery from Roigard to take that quick tap,” Australian Steve Lenthall sarcastically quipped on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
Commentator Andrew McKenna added: “Er, hang on?! Cam Roigard potentially gets taken out in the air – penalty. A couple of people are checking he’s ok, Roigard stands up and makes a 60m break from a quick tap, which the Hurricanes score from! That is going to attract a lot of attention.”
One fan wrote: “Beauden Barrett tackles his All Blacks teammate Roigard in the air. Still trying to make sure he’s okay, Roigard taps and goes and ends in Barrett’s brother Jordie scoring for the Hurricanes. Insanity.”
New Zealand fan @Chalyn.Rugby posted a video of the incident with a caption reading: “Dear Cam Roigard, massive fan here brother but this is football stuff not our game. Shame.”
Dear Cam Roigard, massive fan here brother but this is football stuff not our game. Shame #SuperRugbyPacific #HURvBLU #Rugby pic.twitter.com/wpgcEI42WO
— Chalyn.Rugby (@ChalynRugby) June 13, 2026
“This penalty should have been reversed and Roigard yellow-carded for simulation,” Brenden Shields wrote in a quote repost.
“Lying on the ground crying in pain looking at ref then suddenly takes quick tap.”
Another comment added, “Yeah that was just dirty and shameful. I can’t stand that sh*t! No place in the game for faking death, trying to milk a yellow card then when you don’t get it you all of a sudden perfectly good and you take a quick tap. Disgusting play from Roigard.”
All Blacks legend Mils Muliaina predicted that there would be backlash while commentating on Sky Sports NZ. “There will be plenty of talk around how this eventuated,” he said after Barrett scored.
“It was a penalty way back for being taken out; Roigard gets up after initially looking like he had been injured. Everyone is coming in and then play on here from the referee.”
