All Blacks legends claim ‘influential’ playmaker is ‘right up there’ but deny Dupont comparisons
All Blacks legends claim 'influential' playmaker is 'right up there' with Dupont
All Black legends Stephen Donald and Mils Muliaina have praised the “outstanding” Cam Roigard for his return to the national squad after a long period out with injury.
Roigard made a stunning return to international duty at the weekend, scoring a brace of tries against Australia and adding plenty of attacking zip to Scott Robertson’s side, leaving little doubt that he is the best number nine option that New Zealand have.
Addressing Roigard’s return to the All Black shirt, the pair were asked on The Breakdown to compare the Kiwi’s current skill level to Antoine Dupont, as the southern hemisphere giants look to rebuild their invincible stature in the years ahead.
Roigard to rival Dupont
Although they were unwilling to quite compare Roigard to the great Frenchman as of yet, the duo admitted that the young star has a bright future ahead.
“Dupont has had more years behind him at that level,” Donald said. “Cam is only now getting the keys because he was injured last year. He’s only just getting the All Black jersey now for number nine.
Muliaina built on this, saying: “The evidence is, how can you be out for that long and be so influential when you come back? And that’s why he’s right up there.
“He has got the ability, given his age, to become a great, and we have seen that also when they played against France in the end-of-year tour how big he was.
“He rises to those big moments in those big games. He’s only going to get better and better.”
A return to greatness
The 24-year-old sustained a stress fracture in his foot in July 2025, sidelining him for the early stages of the Rugby Championship. He returned to action earlier this month, getting some game time in the provincial NPC before returning to the New Zealand squad.
“Off the back of being away for a month with injury, and the type of injury he had, to be that influential Saturday night, to have a man of the match performance, he was outstanding,” continued Muliaina.
“He is an outstanding athlete. He has come back in and has recovered well. He looks fit, looks fast and is clearly strong. So, the time he has been away recovering from a leg injury, you have seen him get stronger and bigger, and his passing is world-class as well.
“Everything is there, and his kicking game and his ability with his left foot, he will get better and better with that with time. But I look at it and go, he certainly changes the way that we play and the impact it has on other players around him.”
