TJ Perenara explains how the All Blacks exploited new law against Argentina

All Blacks halfback TJ Perenara has revealed how the All Blacks used the new law around protecting the No 9 to target Argentina at maul time.

From a lineout maul 40 metres out from the Pumas line, Perenara attacked the blindside channel after detaching with ball-in-hand.

The veteran No 9 then produced a miraculous one-hand pass in the tackle to speedster Will Jordan who raced down the sideline to extend the All Blacks lead to 26-3.

Perenara explained that the play was installed in part due to the closed law trials this year that protect the nine at the base of the scrum, ruck and at the maul.

“A little bit of both. Like we spoke about a pre-lineout that if a space opens up there, then we like Will’s [Jordan] chances in that space,” Perenara explained to media post-match. 

“The new rules as well. The guy on the side of the maul can’t make a tackle on a No 9 unless he’s run like a metre outside of the maul as well. Yeah, he can’t be attached and impact the play straight away.”

The law trialled in Major League Rugby in the USA which gives the halfback more room to operate states “the nine will not be able to be played while the ball is still near a tackle, ruck or maul.”

The closest defender on the play was tighthead prop Lucio Sordoni, who was bound to the maul when Perenara broke away.

The mismatch of a prop on a halfback gave the All Blacks the extra space to make something special happen. Perenara was able to get outside of him and draw the next defender, opposite halfback Gonzalo Bertranou.

“So seeing that they had a prop in that position, gave us a little channel that we liked, and Will Jordan is a really good rugby player so you get the ball to him and he can do some pretty cool stuff,” Perenara said. 

However, there was still work to do with a superb piece of skill by Perenara required to make the play happen.

Santiago Carreras went for the intercept so Perenara had to double pump to get the ball behind his back, all while being tackled by his opposite number
Bertranou.

“It was lucky I didn’t give the first one because that winger, he can shift, he probably scores down the other end if I give the first pass,” he said.