Rugby World Cup: All Blacks, Toulouse crowd cheer injured Namibia player off field

Although All Blacks halfback Cam Roigard was swamped with accolades following his excellent performance against Namibia, he went out of his way to sympathise with a player who suffered a horrific leg injury in Toulouse.

The sight of distressed Namibian midfielder Le Roux Malan calling for urgent medical treatment after his lower leg was badly broken during the World Cup match against the All Blacks was a sobering sight for players and spectators alike on Saturday morning.

The injury to Malan forced referee Luke Pearce to call for the game to be halted to allow him to receive pain relief, before he was carefully lifted onto a mobile stretcher and transported off the field.

The crowd stood on their feet to applaud, as did players from both teams, when the wounded Namibian departed, his tournament over.

Following the All Blacks’ 71-3 win, Roigard, who scored his side’s first two tries in the second and seventh minutes, grabbed the opportunity to wish Malan a speedy recovery during a post-match interview.

Roigard, when asked about the game by ex-All Black and commentator Jeff Wilson, delivered his view of the 11-try romp first before pivoting the conversation to the serious matter of Malan’s health.

“Obviously I was pretty lucky to have the set-piece and, I suppose the momentum, for the majority of that game. But credit to Namibia, they stuck in the whole way and nearly scored at the end there,” Roigard told Sky Sport.

“It just shows the passion and the heart that they have got.

“Am I hope that that guy who injured his leg is alright, because we don’t like to see that in the game and I feel pretty bad for him.”

When Malan left the field in the 18th minute, the All Blacks were ahead 12-3.

It must have been difficult for the Namibian players to remain focused after their team-mate was so badly hurt; when play resumed they were immediately back on the ropes when All Blacks first five-eighth try Damian McKenzie scored a try.

Roigard, meanwhile, emphasised to All Blacks coach Ian Foster why he should be considered as the back-up to veteran Aaron Smith when the team meets Italy in its next pool game on September 30.

In addition to bagging his two five-pointers, Roigard’s passing was sharp and accurate, he made good decisions with the ball and could have scored a third try if a long kick by Beauden Barrett had not beaten him to the dead ball line.

Replaced in the 67th minute by Smith, Roigard now looms as a genuine threat to Finlay Christie’s place in the reserves for the next fixture in Lyon.