Dave Rennie has to ‘consider’ tactics All Blacks ‘seldom ever’ use as Cam Roigard enters greatest ‘conversation’
All Blacks scrum-half Cam Roigard and an inset of head coach Dave Rennie.
Cam Roigard is the best scrum-half in the world, according to Stephen Donald, while All Blacks legend Mils Muliaina believes that Dave Rennie could significantly shift New Zealand’s tactics because of the number nine.
The 25-year-old halfback was pivotal in the Hurricanes’ run to the Super Rugby Pacific title and took that form into the black jersey with a man-of-the-match performance in New Zealand’s 34-32 victory over France.
He scored twice in the win and was crucial to maintaining the tempo of the All Blacks’ attack while he executed the side’s tactics perfectly as the Rennie era began on a high.
All Blacks greatest scrum-half debate
Roigard’s performances in the black jersey have already raised the debate on whether he is the best number nine that the All Blacks have ever produced. He earned just his 18th cap for his country against France on Saturday in Christchurch, but despite his lack of international experience, some fans already rank him ahead of legendary half-back Aaron Smith.
“Cam Roigard is the best half-back New Zealand’s ever had,” a supporter wrote in a text to Sky Sport NZ’s Breakdown show.
“Everyone said Aaron Smith changed half-backs with his passing game. Roigard has changed it with his running game.”
Reacting to the comment, World Cup hero Stephen Donald wasn’t willing to put him above Smith just yet, but he does believe that he is better than France’s Antoine Dupont.
“I’m voting him as the best halfback in the world. Absolutely,” Donald remarked.
“Is he Aaron Smith yet? I’d say he’d be the first to admit he’s probably not, but he’s different to Aaron Smith. He is probably a mixture of the era before Aaron Smith and then Aaron Smith.
“He’s young; he’s only played about two or three years of full international rugby. He’s had injuries. By the time the next World Cup comes around, he could be absolutely anything.”
Dave Rennie could shift tactics to suit Cam Roigard
Muliaina also feels that Roigard could surpass Smith at some point and believes that he is so good that he could change the way the All Blacks attack.
Traditionally, New Zealand have attacked through their fly-half who dictates the play and manages the game. That was very much the case when the likes of Andrew Mehrtens, Dan Carter, Beauden Barrett and others dominated the number 10 jersey. However, the first-choice fly-half is less clear-cut currently, whilst Roigard is the go-to number nine and by some distance.
“He consistently gets better and better every year,” the former full-back remarked.
“That’s what we saw in last night’s performance, particularly when he is under pressure like that box kick his own line to get us to the 40-metre mark; that’s the sort of stuff you think ‘Far out, here’s a guy that’s got special things’.
“The thing that’s a little bit different and we haven’t really seen over the past few years is: do we build a game around the nine, which we seldom ever do; it’s always around the 10. With this nine here, you’d have to consider it.”
The French approach
France are renowned for playing through their scrum-halves, having routinely produced world-class number nines with the likes of Fabien Galthié, Morgan Parra, Dimitri Yachvili and Dupont to name just a few.
Donald agrees with his fellow ex-All Black that Rennie could go down that route and copy the French approach.
“Well, you could go that route, particularly because Cam has that IQ. He has that game management ability,” he said.
“You saw that last year when the All Blacks were struggling against South Africa at Eden Park. All of a sudden, there’s a calmness; there’s a guy who’s taken control of the game as a 10 would usually, nine would distribute to 10 and 10 would run the show.
“We could go down essentially a French route as far as a nine being the big governor.”
Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for world-class coverage you can trust.
Legendary All Blacks winger Jeff Wilson also sang the praises of the scrum-half and says that he is in the conversation for the best scrum-half that New Zealand has produced.
“His decision-making continues to get better and better. What I love is his patience. The fact he’s not looking for an opportunity, he waits till the opportunity presents itself. His instincts for the game are getting better at the highest level,” he said.
“So I thought we saw him execute his skills really well, and then the moment the opportunity came and there was a gaping hole, and there were a few of them, he took those. One of his great assets is his conditioning around the park; it is second to none. That, to me, makes him one of the great half-backs because he’s never late to things.
“His anticipation of where to be at the right time; the reason you score tries as a half-back is you anticipate breaks. He’s in the conversation.”
READ MORE: The ‘outrageous’ stat which delighted Dave Rennie as All Blacks boss gives verdict on first game
