Stephen Perofeta could be the man to replace Damian McKenzie
Stephen Perofeta’s exceptional performance against the Chiefs on Saturday evening could have significant ramifications later in the year.
Just as New Zealand’s various goal-kickers were fluffing kicks left, right and centre over the weekend, All Black Damian McKenzie was putting on a clinic for Tokyo Sungoliath, scoring 31 points and landing all 11 of his shots on goal to guide his team to a 56-17 win over Kobe Steelers.
McKenzie found himself slipping down the pecking order for the All Blacks last season and his time in Japan will likely put him even further on the backfoot, assuming he returns to New Zealand later this year. As with TJ Perenara last season, McKenzie won’t be able to instantly join up with the national squad, instead having to work his way back via the NPC.
Given all of that, there has to be a genuine chance that the firecracker makes the call to remain in Japan but even if he does return home, Ian Foster could be on the lookout for at least a temporary replacement in his absence for the July series with Ireland.
That man could be Stephen Perofeta.
The 24-year-old utility back has been a member of the Blues since 2017, when he made his starting debut against the touring British and Irish Lions.
While Perofeta was originally viewed first and foremost as a flyhalf, the former New Zealand Under 20s representative has made a name for himself in recent seasons at fullback. That’s the role he primarily filled for Taranaki throughout last year’s Championship-winning NPC season, with Perofeta ultimately being crowned the player of the competition, and it’s where he performed so amicably for the Blues in the victory over the Chiefs.
The game-winning try, scored by Mark Telea, was well and truly set up by a fleet-footed Perofeta who received the ball from Rieko Ioane in the middle of the pitch, just outside the Chiefs 22, raced around the outside of speedster Etene Nanai-Seturo, drew in Josh Ioane and then gave a simple pass to Telea who had a free run over the line.
To cap it off, Perofeta nailed the sideline conversion with his first and only kick of the afternoon, taking the Blues out to the 24-22 lead which they managed to hold for the rest of the match.
On a weekend where some of New Zealand’s best goal-kickers seemingly couldn’t buy a trick, Perofeta walked the walk.
Those last-minute heroics shouldn’t overshadow the rest of the fullback’s performance, however, with Perofeta impressing with every touch of the ball.
As just a teenager, Perofeta was once prematurely hailed as New Zealand’s future in the No 10 jersey. Injuries, coupled with the ostensible lack of confidence that flows from being regularly sidelined, ensured Perofeta never lived up to that unreasonable billing in his formative years with the Blues but now that he finally has some regular minutes and ample experience under his belt, it’s worth asking whether the Blues playmaker might be worthy of opportunities on the higher stage.
Last year, Perofeta kept the immensely promising Zarn Sullivan out of the Blues’ fullback role, with the youngster only stepping into the No 15 jersey when Perofeta went down injured ahead of Super Rugby Trans-Tasman.
Sullivan flourished against the Australian sides and some might have suspected that Perofeta’s time in the starting line-up could be done and dusted but his strong showing for Taranaki coupled with the full package Perofeta delivered against the Chiefs will have likely forced a rethink. With Harry Plummer also going down injured over the weekend, it’s difficult to envisage a situation where Perofeta isn’t an automatic starter – either at fullback or first five-eighth.
Beauden Barrett played his first match of the year off the bench against the Chiefs and while the All Blacks pivot will undoubtedly have benefited from the run-around, he look well short of the mark in the final quarter and throwing him straight into the No 10 jersey against the Highlanders could be asking too much.
Perofeta, on the other hand, is fit and firing and might be worth another run at first receiver. With Sullivan also available, the best option might be to leave Barrett coming off the bench for at least another week or two before shifting him into his preferred flyhalf role.
Whatever Leon MacDonald and his fellow Blues selectors decide to do with Barrett, Perofeta will undoubtedly run out against the Highlanders and will shift into first receiver when necessary throughout the match. That’s a useful talent to have – something which the likes of Jordie Barrett and Will Jordan are still mastering the art of – and the kind of additional talent that could pave the way for higher honours.
It’s still early days in the new season but Stephen Perofeta made all the right moves against the Chiefs and if the 24-year-old can reproduce similar showings in the weeks to come, he would certainly be worth a look from the powers that be.
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments