1
TJ Perenara returns as Hurricanes hand rookie first-five starting debut
The Hurricanes will welcome the return of star halfback TJ Perenara from injury when they face Moana Pasifika in Auckland on Friday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Perenara hasn’t played for the Hurricanes since 2020 after departing the franchises to play for the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes in last year’s Top League, but returned to Wellington for this year’s Super Rugby Pacific.
However, the 78-test All Black hasn’t featured for the Hurricanes this season after sustaining a knee injury during pre-season, but has recovered to make his first appearance in the yellow-and-black No 9 jersey in 2022.
Perenara will form a brand new halves pairing with debutant first-five Aidan Morgan, a national age-grade star who has represented New Zealand at schoolboy and U20 level in recent years.
The 20-year-old pivot played for the Hurricanes U20 team at last year’s inaugural Super Rugby Aotearoa U20 series before going on to sign a three-year deal with the franchise.
The selection of Perenara and Morgan at halfback and first-five, respectively, represents two of 10 changes from the Hurricanes starting lineup that last played against the Highlanders in Wellington three weeks ago.
In addition to Morgan, head coach Jason Holland has named a further two starting debutants in the form of ex-Highlanders midfielder Teihorangi Walden and wing Josh Moorby.
ADVERTISEMENT
Walden forms one half of a new midfield partnership that also includes one-test All Black Peter Umaga-Jensen at centre, while Moorby joins Wes Goosen as the newbies in an outside back trio that features All Blacks star Jordie Barrett.
Up front, All Blacks hooker Asafo Aumua and loosehead prop Xavier Numia accompany All Blacks tighthead Tyrel Lomax in the front row, while lock Scott Scrafton replaces James Blackwell in the second row.
Blindside flanker Reed Prinsep retains his place on the side of the scrum, and has been named captain for this week’s match following the demotion of All Blacks star Ardie Savea to the bench.
Savea’s place at No 8 has been take by Braydon Iose, while Blake Gibson replaces Du’Plessis Kirifi at openside flanker.
ADVERTISEMENT
Savea is one of seven new faces on the bench, one of whom is debutant lock Tom Parsons, with another being halfback Cam Roigard, who joins Perenara in making his return from a lengthy injury lay-off.
Hooker James O’Reilly, prop Alex Fidow, first-five Ruben Love and wing Salesi Rayasi are also included in the reserves, with tighthead prop Tevita Mafileo the sole survivor on the bench from his side’s 21-14 victory over the Highlanders.
In a statement, Holland said this week’s fixture against Moana Pasifika provides his side with a good chance to hand some game time to players who are yet to take to the field this year, and that he is excited to see his debutants in action.
“Friday is a fantastic opportunity for all four who have trained well and been dying to get a crack,” Holland said.
“Aidan has been in our environment for a couple of years now and has all the skills and a great head on his shoulders. Teihorangi has been a very popular member of our squad since day one of pre-season and I can’t wait to see him in action.
Moorby has also earned the respect of the squad really quickly and is an exciting prospect anywhere in the back three. Tom will make his debut off the bench, and has brought some great experience into our pack.”
Kick-off for Friday’s match at Mt Smart Stadium is scheduled for 7:05pm NZT.
Hurricanes team to play Moana Pasifika
1. Xavier Numia
2. Asafo Aumua
3. Tyrel Lomax
4. Caleb Delany
5. Scott Scrafton
6. Reed Prinsep (c)
7. Blake Gibson
8. Braydon Iose
9. TJ Perenara
10. Aidan Morgan
11. Wes Goosen
12. Teihorangi Walden
13. Peter Umaga-Jensen
14. Josh Moorby
15. Jordie Barrett
Reserves
16. James O’Reilly
17. Alex Fidow
18. Tevita Mafileo
19. Tom Parsons
20. Ardie Savea
21. Cam Roigard
22. Ruben Love
23. Salesi Rayasi
Comments on RugbyPass
An 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!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 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.
24 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.
24 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 commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to comments