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'Values' of All Blacks jersey questioned after TJ Perenara's call-up
Former All Blacks great Sir John Kirwan has called into question the “values of earning” the national jersey following TJ Perenara’s inclusion in Ian Foster’s Rugby Championship squad.
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Perenara was the most notable name included in the All Blacks squad when it was announced on Monday ahead of their upcoming Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship series.
The 69-test veteran’s inclusion in the squad came after he missed the July test series against Tonga and Fiji due to a contractual technicality that came into effect as a result of his sabbatical in Japan earlier this year.
Perenara spent the first part of this year with Top League club NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes while he was due to come off-contract with New Zealand Rugby [NZR] at the end of 2021.
Unlike fellow All Blacks stars Beauden Barrett and Brodie Retallick, both of whom were also on sabbatical in Japan, Perenara’s contract at the time didn’t include a clause where he was allowed to come straight back into the All Blacks squad.
Instead, Perenara had to play rugby in New Zealand before becoming eligible to play for the All Blacks again, meaning he was ineligible to play against Tonga and Fiji.
Uncapped Blues halfback Finlay Christie was subsequently named in the All Blacks squad in Perenara’s absence, with the Scottish-born product going on to make his first two test appearances in successive weeks against the Pacific Island nations.
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However, despite having impressed in his two cameo outings, Christie was omitted from New Zealand’s Rugby Championship squad and replaced by Perenara, who has become eligible for selection after playing club rugby in Wellington.
Christie will remain with the squad as cover until at least the opening Bledisloe Cup clash next month as Perenara gradually returns via club rugby and the NPC, but Kirwan has questioned whether Perenara should be there at all.
Speaking on The Breakdown earlier this week, the former All Blacks wing wondered whether the right decision has been made to drop Christie and re-call Perenara.
“It’s got nothing to do with TJ Perenara, I think he’s an outstanding player, but we’re picking him on last year’s form,” Kirwan told The Breakdown.
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“He’s coming back from Japan – he looked really light in the photos I’ve just seen – and so why have we retained Christie?”
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“Why don’t you just name it the other way around? Why don’t you bring TJ in [as cover], keep Christie in, and say, ‘We’re gonna see TJ play at the NPC level’. I mean he’s [only] played club footy,” he added.
Kirwan questioned whether Perenara, who has since re-signed with NZR through until 2023, would be “ready” for test rugby if called upon should injury strike the All Blacks.
“I don’t understand [why he is being named in the squad] now, because what happens [when] he’s been named, someone pulls his calf, like Dane Coles did last week, and he’s starting against Australia? Is he ready?”
Kirwan said that, by already being picked in the national side, Perenara hasn’t had to prove himself to earn selection, but ex-All Blacks centurion Mils Muliaina said the 29-year-old still has work to do if he is to re-assert himself in Foster’s squad.
“He’s going to have to leapfrog someone like [Brad] Weber, so, in terms of that, he’s obviously the third[-choice halfback]. He has to go back and prove himself,” Muliaina told The Breakdown.
The 100-test international added that although Christie had not put a foot wrong while playing for the All Blacks, Perenara’s point of different was his leadership, which Muliaina said Foster’s side might be lacking.
Kirwan, however, suggested that Perenara’s inclusion ahead of Christie, who stated his case for test rugby while playing in New Zealand this year, discredits the “values of earning” the All Blacks jersey.
“This has got nothing to do with TJ Perenara, and your [Muliaina’s] argument is completely on point, but what happened to the values of earning the jersey? Full stop for me,” Kirwan said.
“Nothing against TJ, your argument is correct, he’s got all the experience and everything, but just keep Christie in there, say TJ is our fourth[-choice halfback] and he’s going to play in the NPC.”
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Kirwan added that both Barrett and Retallick have looked “a bit short of a gallop” in their recent outings for the All Blacks after returning from the Top League.
Despite that, the 1987 World Cup winner reasoned Barrett’s and Retallick’s selections against Tonga and Fiji as “okay” due to the level of opposition they were playing.
Introducing Perenara throughout the Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship, though, presents more risks, Kirwan indicated.
“Retallick and Barrett did the same, and they’re probably a bit short of gallop, but that was Fiji. It’s okay taking a risk against Tonga and Fiji. Now we’ve got the Championship. That’s all I’m saying.
“I’ll repeat: TJ Perenara is good enough at this level, but we haven’t seen him for a year. I don’t disagree, Mils. For me, it’s just mixed messaging. That’s all. I just don’t get it.”
Kirwan’s comments come after Foster expressed displeasure over Perenara’s public flirtation with the Sydney Roosters in the NRL prior to signing his two-year contract extension with NZR in May.
Perenara hit back at Foster’s comments on Monday as he rejected the notion that his interest in making the cross-code move was a tactical ploy to receive an increased offer from NZR.
Perenara is expected to play for Wellington in the early rounds of the NPC, which kicks-off on August 6, with Wellington set to open their campaign against Northland at Sky Stadium on August 7.
The All Blacks, meanwhile, will kickstart their Bledisloe Cup series against the Wallabies at Eden Park in Auckland, also on August 7.
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 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
3 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 Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 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!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 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.
30 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.
30 Go to comments