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Former cross-code star Sonny Bill Williams gives verdict on TJ Perenara's potential NRL move
Former All Blacks and rugby league star Sonny Bill Williams has given his verdict on TJ Perenara’s potential move to the NRL.
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Perenara’s playing future has been the subject of plenty of speculation in recent days following a shock report that the 69-test All Blacks halfback could make the switch to rugby league to join the Sydney Roosters in the NRL.
Roosters head coach Trent Robinson has since confirmed his club’s interest in the 29-year-old as he looks to fill the void left at hooker in the wake of veteran dummy half Jake Friend’s retirement.
Having never played rugby league, the prospect of Perenara – who is on sabbatical with the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes in Japan’s Top League and is off-contract with New Zealand Rugby this year – suiting up for the NRL glamour club took many by surprise.
However, Perenara’s former All Blacks teammate and two-time NRL champion Williams has joined a chorus of current and former union and league players who are backing the former Hurricanes captain to make a successful transition to league.
Unlike the majority of other supporters of Perenara’s potential switch, Williams is well-equipped to judge whether the halfback can succeed in league having enjoyed one of the most successful cross-code careers of all-time.
With 58 All Blacks caps, two World Cup titles, a Super Rugby championship and an appearance at the 2016 Rio Olympics to his name, Williams has also won NRL Premierships with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Sydney Roosters.
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The 35-year-old also played 12 tests for the Kiwis and became the highest-paid athlete across both union and league in 2019 when he signed a two-year, $10 million deal with the Toronto Wolfpack in the Super League.
Now retired from both codes and focusing on both his professional boxing career and broadcast commitments in Australia, Williams told Channel Nine that Perenara’s family’s background in league could help him succeed in the 13-man code.
Perenara is a first cousin of former NRL player Marcus as well as current referee and former star Henry, while his father Thomas was a Junior Kiwi.
“What a special addition that would be,” Williams, who is now part of the Roosters’ backroom staff, told Nine.
“I know him personally and if he came over here he would be under no illusion the work that would need to be put in to be a successful rugby league player.
“He comes from a league background. I’ve talked to him at length about how much he loves rugby league and he would love to give it a crack one day. Most likely we will see him soon, hopefully.”
Williams added that Perenara could flourish as a hybrid player that can cover both hooker and in the halves in league.
“I would see him as a hybrid,” Williams said. “Initially as that No 14 player that can come on at hooker or play at No 6.
“The energy he brings to a team, his fitness, his strength physically – I think he would make a great rugby league player.”
Williams’ comments come after a raft of Perenara’s Hurricanes and All Blacks teammates, as well as former All Blacks and current rugby league stars, have thrown their support behind the scrumhalf’s possible cross-code move.
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
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