All Blacks planning perfect hometown send-off for TJ Perenara in Rugby Championship

The All Blacks are hoping to give veteran scrum-half TJ Perenara the perfect send-off by finishing their Rugby Championship as winners in Wellington at the end of next month.

The 32-year-old is one of the most experienced players in the current All Blacks side and has already made 81 Test appearances for his country since making his debut against England in 2014.

However, he is set to leave New Zealand at the end of this year after it was announced last week that he will further his career with Japan Rugby League One outfit Ricoh Black Rams.

New Zealand will kick off their Rugby Championship campaign against Argentina at Wellington’s Sky Stadium on Saturday and return to Perenara‘s stomping ground again for their last match of the competition against Australia on September 28.

Hoping for a fairytale ending

And the All Blacks’ plan is for Perenara to have a fairytale ending with them lifting the Rugby Championship trophy as winners.

Perenara’s career has been hampered by injuries in recent years though. In 2022, he suffered a serious Achilles injury during the All Blacks’ end-of-year tour which ruled him out of last year’s Rugby World Cup campaign in France.

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And after returning to action with some fine performances for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby Pacific, he earned a Test recall for the men in black’s recent series against England only to be crocked again with a knee injury in the first encounter in Dunedin.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone that competitive, which is so good for our younger halfbacks coming in,” All Blacks flyer Sevu Reece told Stuff.

“They get to see what it takes to be at that level. He challenges them but also our coaches and the other players.

“He will keep going. He’s not done yet and he’s still got a job to do here until he heads off.”

Keen to finish on a high note

Perenara is renowned as a fierce competitor who will be giving nothing less that 100% to help All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson and his team-mates to win this year’s Rugby Championship before he heads off to Japan.

“Him signing in Japan, it’s awesome news for him and his family because he’s done so much for the game here in New Zealand and it’s awesome to see him back in camp, injury-free and ready to go,” said Reece.

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