‘Big part of my motivation’: TJ Perenara eager for All Blacks return
Following a tough stint on the sidelines with an Achilles injury, 80-Test halfback TJ Perenara is eyeing a return to the “pinnacle of our game” with the All Blacks under new coach Scott Robertson.
Perenara, 31, missed the entirety of this year’s Super Rugby Pacific campaign with the Hurricanes after rupturing his Achilles on national duty with the All Blacks 13 months ago.
With time practically up on the game clock at England’s Twickenham Stadium, Penera suffered the painful injury which risked ending his international career.
But Perenara hasn’t given up. Having re-signed with the Hurricanes and New Zealand Rugby for a further two years, the Rugby World Cup winner wants to be back in black.
“We play this game, in New Zealand, because you want to be an All Black,” Perenara told reporters last week.
“You want to play at the highest level, and represent the team you grew up loving.
“Yes, it’s a big part of my motivation. But it’s always been part of my motivation.
“It’s the pinnacle of our game. If we’re not excited about it, or driven to be part of that team, we’re in the wrong position, or doing the wrong thing.”
In Perenara’s absence, rising star Cam Roigard stepped into the shoes of the legendary rugby giant with the Hurricanes and shone – with the youngster going on to debut for the All Blacks.
Roigard, 23, was included in New Zealand’s prestigious squad for this year’s Rugby World Cup, and the halfback is widely considered the favourite to retain the No. 9 jersey at the Hurricanes.
That in itself would make Perenara’s All Blacks ambitions even tougher to achieve, but the pair have the potential to combine for a genuinely world-class partnership in 2024.
With Aaron Smith and Brad Weber both leaving New Zealand’s shores, there’s an opportunity – in theory – for Perenara and Roigard to both push their case for All Blacks selection next year.
“I set my goals broad for a year, and then I narrow them down to my short-term goals. For me now, my short-term goal is to get back and do full-tilt team training. When I come to that point, those goals start to adapt,” Perenara said.
“To be an All Black, you have to play good rugby, you have to be out on the field, you have to be having an impact on your team. Winning really helps too.
“All those elements will be part of those goals and those standards.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Yeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
1 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
4 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
4 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
4 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
13 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
13 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
13 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
4 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
4 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
4 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to comments