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Stephen Perofeta opens up on how Sean Wainui's passing changed his career
2024 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for Stephen Perofeta, with the keys to the Blues engine on offer in the absence of Beauden Barrett and higher honours within reach sans Richie Mo’unga.
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The utility back has proven to possess an international-level skillset, starring in the All Blacks XV’s latest tour of Japan. But, it takes more than talent to succeed on the big stage.
The 26-year-old was asked what the biggest lessons he’d learnt from other players had been, and initially, Perofeta’s mind went to an iconic quote from Dan Carter.
“I remember one from DC (Carter),” he told the You Decide Podcast. “The way he talked about pressure and not shying away from it – actually walking towards it. Pressure is a privilege.
“When you have those pressure moments, not taking a step back and letting it get to you, it’s just embracing it and walking towards it and owning it.
“But it’s through the confidence you have from your preparation.”
After recalling what that famous quote meant to him, Perofeta paused as he reflected on a defining moment in both his rugby journey and personal life.
On the 18th of October, 2021, New Zealand lost not just a remarkable rugby player, but a special individual in Sean Wainui.
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Perofeta’s Taranaki teammate was carving out a career as a Chiefs icon, a Maori All Black and a fan favourite. Wainui was just 25 when he passed, a loss that inspired Perofeta to reassess his relationship with the game of rugby and those playing it by his side.
“Another big thing that keeps me grounded as well is just loving what you do and who you do it with. If you can’t care for people, when you’re going out on a field every week and you’re going into battle, if you’re not able to connect with them or know them on a personal level then you can’t push it.
“It was a realisation when Sean Wainui passed. We were close. When that news came, my mindset just shifted. We’re not in this game for long, we’re not here for long.
“I usually didn’t enjoy the companionship with the boys, I was just too serious. But then once that news came, I was like ‘f*ck’. I’ve got to just love the boys because you never know when you finish playing. You never know.
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“That’s on another (level), that’s life and death. That taught me to love what you do and love who you’re doing it with.”
Perofeta paused before saying Wainui’s name, clearly in deep thought while recalling a time of grief.
Taranaki lifted the NPC trophy last October, almost two years to the day after Wainui’s passing.
Comments on RugbyPass
“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
1 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
3 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
3 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
3 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to comments