Three former All Blacks have hit out at Clark Laidlaw\u2019s decision to replace Cam Roigard in the first minute of the Hurricanes\u2019 Super Rugby Pacific extra-time defeat to the Chiefs.<\/p>\n
The Hurricanes<\/a> were on a five-game winning streak heading into the clash and looked on track to make it six when they held a 12-3 half-time lead over the Chiefs<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, Jono Gibbes\u2019 men fought back into the match with Daniel Sinkinson\u2019s try levelling the scores at 17 points apiece, pushing the game into a golden-point extra time.<\/p>\n Baffling Cam Roigard sub<\/p>\n Roigard<\/a> had played the entire 80 minutes and remained on the pitch for the start of extra time before head coach Laidlaw decided to replace him with Ere Enari after just 40 seconds.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a moment this is, Goldie, taking off probably the game\u2019s best player,\u201d former All Blacks<\/a> fly-half Stephen Donald remarked on commentary.<\/p>\n \u201cEre Enari goes on and I know Cam Roigard is not going to be happy about that,\u201d Jeff Wilson replied. \u201cHe will be disappointed, he played 80 minutes, and you don\u2019t get to be there for the end of it. It doesn\u2019t even look as if he has even played a game.\u201d<\/p>\n Roigard certainly looked miffed as he marched to the bench, and in his absence, the Hurricanes were unable to hold out for the victory as Wallace Sititi scored the match-winning try after he pounced on the loose ball following Damian McKenzie\u2019s drop goal attempt, which was charged down by Warner Dearns.<\/p>\n Speaking on Sky Sports\u2019 Breakdown<\/a> show, Wilson said that Roigard was \u2018filthy\u2019 about the coaching team\u2019s decision to take him off the park.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is right in front of me,\u201d the former All Blacks wing said.<\/p>\n \u201cI was commentating on the sideline, and I can tell you, he\u2019s filthy. When you\u2019ve played 80 minutes, and you\u2019ve been influential in terms of doing your job, and he clearly looked fine to me, and just 30 seconds into extra time [he gets replaced].\u201d<\/p>\n All Blacks great questions Ardie Savea\u2019s impact as Super Rugby teams won\u2019t getting into a \u2018bidding war\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Hurricanes\u2019 mistake<\/p>\n Donald was also perplexed by the decision and questioned why they didn\u2019t make the change during the short break after full-time.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, the funny thing was they just had a 5-minute breather at the end of 80 minutes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo then they decided, right, we\u2019ll give him 5 minutes rest and then give him 29 seconds and then he\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think that was a mistake, that was an error,\u201d Wilson added.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve committed him to the 80 minutes. He can go the next 10 if he needs to. I thought he was good. There weren\u2019t many opportunities for him, but once again, I come back to the fact that I think both of these two teams prepared really well.<\/p>\n Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n \u201cHe had a couple of really nice touches, but I didn\u2019t understand the substitution at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n Mils Muliaina was equally baffled and said that unless he was injured, he should have stayed on the pitch.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a guy that we\u2019re comparing to Dupont, and you\u2019re taking him off 29 seconds into extra time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s either injured or there must be a different reason, but this is one of the best players in New Zealand rugby at the moment. So I don\u2019t understand why they took him off \u2013 I was scratching my head.<\/p>\n \u201cDid they lose it by taking him off? I don\u2019t know. But why would you take someone of his caliber?\u201d<\/p>\n