Wasteful Rieko Ioane fails to impress in five-year first while All Blacks star enjoys try-scoring return
Rieko Ioane in action for Auckland and an inset of Cam Roigard after scoring on his return from injury.
Cameron Roigard enjoyed a try-scoring return from injury in the NPC as Counties Manukau put Auckland to the sword, cruising to a 49-28 victory in Pukekohe on Saturday.
The scrum-half came off the bench in his first game since sustaining an injury against France and now boosts Scott Robertson’s stocks ahead of the All Blacks’ Bledisloe Cup defence against Australia next week.
The brilliant scrum-half missed the opening four rounds of the Rugby Championship due to a fractured foot, with further setbacks to Cortez Ratima and Noah Notham creating an injury crisis in the position for the All Blacks.
However, those woes have been eased as Roigard came off the bench for Counties Manukau in their comprehensive victory over Auckland on Saturday.
It did not take long for the number nine to make his mark as he capitalised on a strong carry from number eight Hoskins Sotutu by dummying from the base and sneaking over the try line, mere minutes after entering proceedings.
That try put Counties in a commanding 42-21 lead over Auckland, who had All Black Rieko Ioane in their lineup for the first time in 1,824 days.
It was a return to forget for Ioane as his side were comprehensively put to the sword by the Steelers with Gibson Popoalii crossing for his side’s sixth try before All Blacks winger Caleb Clarke grabbed a consolation score before the hour mark, falling to a 49-28 defeat.
Counties dominate
It’s been a season to forget for Auckland, who have won just two of their opening eight games, and the return of Ioane and the presence of Clarke in their backline this week did not aid their cause.
The Steelers dominated proceedings from start to finish as Popoalii opened the scoring in the 10th minute with Etene Nanai-Seturo doubling their tally just four minutes later.
Tighthead prop Keran van Staden extended Counties’ lead to 21-0 with the team’s third try before the end of the first quarter, when Auckland finally responded through Che Clark. His try was simply a blip for the Steelers, who ran in two quick-fire tries through scrum-half Cohen Brady-Leathem and wing Josh Gray.
Cohen Norrie’s late try made the half-time scoreline look slightly more respectable for Auckland, who trailed 35-14.
Mills Sanerivi’s second-half score was quickly cancelled out by Roigard, with Popoalii doubling his tally in the 53rd minute before Clarke had the final say of the match.
All Blacks’ boss Scott Robertson will have had a keen eye on proceedings at the Navigation Homes Stadium and will be pleased that Roigard got through his 30-odd minutes unscathed.
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Ioane struggles
However, Ioane hardly set the world alight on his return to the NPC. He made a particularly poor read in the midfield in the early knockings of the match, with Popoalii benefitting after AJ Alatimu sped through the gap created.
It didn’t get much better for the veteran All Black, who was wasteful with the ball in hand, conceding six turnovers, more than double the next highest tally. Ioane gained 50 metres from his 10 carries in the game and completed six passes but managed to beat just one defender upon his return to the midfield, having featured on the wing for Robertson’s side.
“There’s one-on-one technical stuff that everyone has to grow in their game,” the All Blacks boss said on the exclusion of Ioane for the clash against the Springboks in Wellington.
“We’ve obviously given him a crack at wing. His work ethic, his work off the ball has been incredible but there are a few touches that we need to improve, which he’s well aware of.”
Only time will tell if Ioane did enough to warrant a recall to the matchday 23 for the Bledisloe Cup clash against Australia at Eden Park next weekend.
Meanwhile, Clarke’s efforts in the NPC may well have got the coaching teams’ attention, with the winger getting his hands on the ball plenty in the defeat.
He made 15 carries, the most in the match, and racked up an impressive 101 metres – a match-high- beating 11 defenders.
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