Roigard double fires New Zealand past Australia 33–24 at Eden Park

New Zealand 33-24 Australia, Eden Park

New Zealand claimed a hard-fought 33–24 win over Australia at Eden Park in the Rugby Championship, with scrum-half Cam Roigard scoring twice.

The Wallabies kept the contest alive through Carlo Tizzano, Billy Pollard, and Harry Potter, but New Zealand’s discipline and finishing edge proved decisive in front of a home crowd.

The All Blacks started with trademark intensity. Just three minutes into the contest, Caleb Clarke powered over on the wing for the opening try. The conversion was missed, leaving the score at 5–0. Australia struck back in the seventh minute with a penalty goal from James O’Connor, narrowing the gap to 5–3.

Two minutes later, Beauden Barrett restored momentum for New Zealand with a penalty of his own to make it 8–3. The pressure mounted, and in the 14th minute Leroy Carter broke through to score New Zealand’s second try but once again the conversion was wayward.

The hosts continued their dominance when Roigard darted over in the 23rd minute, and this time the conversion was good, stretching the lead to 20–3.

But Australia showed resilience. Hooker Billy Pollard crossed from a rolling maul in the 29th minute, converted by O’Connor, cutting the score to 20–10. Then, just before halftime, Harry Potter finished in the corner in the 37th minute. O’Connor’s accurate boot narrowed the margin to 20–17 at the break, setting up a tense second half.

New Zealand reasserted control after halftime through the boot of Damian McKenzie. Penalty goals in the 48th and 55th minutes extended the lead to 26–17.

Australia, however, stayed in the fight. In the 68th minute, Carlo Tizzano powered over from close range, with O’Connor converting to bring the score back to 26–24.

With the Eden Park crowd on edge, the match swung on two critical moments. First, in the 73rd minute, Harry Potter was shown a yellow card, leaving the Wallabies a man down. Just two minutes later, Roigard capitalised on New Zealand’s numerical advantage, scoring his second try. McKenzie added the conversion, sealing the scoreline at 33–24.

The result keeps New Zealand firmly in the hunt for Rugby Championship honours, extending their dominance over the Wallabies at Eden Park. They now have 14 points with Australia moving to second with 11 points.