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All Blacks inclusion of TJ Perenara riddled with complications
The impending All Black reintroduction of TJ Perenara might be the obvious and natural decision for the here and now, but one could argue that it is also problematic in the very same sense.
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Few would have been surprised to hear the 29-year-old’s name included in the All Blacks squad for The Rugby Championship, with his level of experience and quality being undeniably welcome.
Over the course of his 69 test appearances, Perenara has proven he can consistently perform and bring unquestionable leadership traits on some of the biggest stages.
If we are to look at it in that light, his naming in the 36-man squad for The Rugby Championship is undeniably the logical decision – but he is also very much a player who’s been there and done that.
This means that his seemingly unchallenged stroll back into the All Blacks at the first available opportunity has come at a big cost to others.
Finlay Christie is the most notable in this category. While he might be in the squad as injury cover, he is really only holding the water unless plans drastically change once The Rugby Championship really kicks into gear from mid-August.
If we are to be fair, is this really the ideal way to reward Christie for a stellar Super Rugby season and a more than capable first two outings for the All Blacks?
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That is the nature of the beast in modern rugby: fairness should rarely come into the equation when teams have to select their best. But by the same token, it’s also the least ideal way to acknowledge just how many serious overseas offers the Blues halfback turned down to stay and chase his All Black dream.
Similar for standout Crusaders generals Mitch Drummond and Bryn Hall, two names consistent in form and both bizarrely are yet to get a credible look in.
Like Christie, these two must now be wondering if they missed a trick by not taking their chances offshore.
Despite the Top League perfectly suiting Beauden Barrett's play-style, the #AllBlacks pivot has returned to action looking slightly undercooked. That shouldn't be the case for TJ Perenara – or any future returnees.
?? Gregor Paulhttps://t.co/XS0trdxtyb
— RugbyPass+ (@RugbyPassPlus) July 19, 2021
Meanwhile, since his return to New Zealand in May, Perenara has been playing club rugby. The void of top-level rugby (due to the conclusion of domestic seasons et cetera) has forced this in part, leaving All Blacks coach Ian Foster to all but admit he will be forced to send Perenara to Wellington and the NPC for at least one round.
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“The likelihood is that we will use his [Perenara’s] Wellington NPC team for a week or two,” Foster told media on Monday.
“We have found that the guys who come back from Japan just take a little bit of time to get back up to the level we want so we need to make sure we’ve got the ability to drop guys back whenever we can.”
All this, and we haven’t even discussed the somewhat questionable public tactic of “will I or won’t I” Perenara played out with both the NRL and New Zealand Rugby prior to his return.
That’s business, and in the end, Perenara chose to come home but will maintain his status of being a very shrewd operator who’s well aware of his own brand and its pulling power.
On the rugby field where it really matters, he will have to perform to the same level he has previously, and then some.
There is far too much talent waiting in the wings to justify it in any other way.
Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
65 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments