Roigard defends quick-tap after Barrett collision sends Hurricanes to Super Rugby final

Cameron Roigard has defended his decision to take a quick tap after being collected in the air by Beauden Barrett, dismissing suggestions he was play-acting during the Hurricanes’ 57-21 semi-final victory over the Blues on Saturday night — a result that booked Wellington’s first Super Rugby Pacific final appearance since 2016.

The All Blacks halfback was attempting to take a high ball in the first half when Barrett made contact with him in the air. As Blues players gathered around referee Ben O’Keeffe amid minor pushing and shoving, Roigard got to his feet, spotted a gap in the retreating defence, and tapped the ball to put the Hurricanes on the front foot.

“I’m probably not the one who’s meant to be taking the high ball so it was kind of going straight on my head — I wasn’t able to jump square and into Baz, so I fell a bit ugly,” Roigard explained. “When something like that happens, there’s usually a fight or a bit of a push-and-shove kind of thing. So I was just waiting for that and making sure I was all good, because you never know if you fall funny.”

Roigard said it was a teammate’s call that prompted him to act. “Ruben Love was asking for the ball so I was like that must mean something’s on, so I got up, had a look, and no one was in the middle so I thought I might as well just go.”

The halfback was unapologetic about the sequence of events, despite a wave of criticism on social media. “I don’t think I was milking it. I know everybody’s having a crack online, but it is what it is. To be fair, if I stayed down or didn’t take the quick tap, he might have gotten a yellow card anyway. It’s not here nor there, but I don’t regret it. It is what it is. It’s footy.”

He also pointed out that Barrett’s challenge was the root cause of the controversy. “To be fair, if he didn’t take me out in the air I’d have nothing to milk. I thought I’d just get on with the game and people are complaining. That’s up to them — it’s been and gone now.”

Former England halfback Ben Youngs was among those to react critically to the incident, stating there was “no place” for such behaviour in rugby.

The victory over Vern Cotter’s Blues was the Hurricanes’ most emphatic performance of the season, and Roigard’s influence throughout underlined why he remains one of the most dangerous halfbacks in the southern hemisphere. The club now prepares for a Super Rugby Pacific final, their first since losing to the Lions in the 2016 decider.