All Blacks: TJ Perenara reveals who he thinks should replace him as next haka leader
Veteran All Blacks scrum-half TJ Perenara leads the haka and rookie Test centre Billy Proctor.
Veteran scrum-half TJ Perenara has named a surprise choice to take over the role as the All Blacks’ next haka leader when he retires from international rugby at the end of the year.
Perenara led the men in black’s iconic haka before a Test in New Zealand for the final time prior to their Rugby Championship Test against the Wallabies in Wellington on Saturday.
The All Blacks performed the Ka Mate haka ahead of their 33-13 victory over their trans-Tasman rivals.
Set to leave New Zealand Rugby
Perenara announced earlier this year that he will be leaving New Zealand Rugby at the end of 2024 after signing a three-year deal to join Japan Rugby League One outfit Black Rams Tokyo.
That means he will call time on his international career after the All Blacks’ upcoming end-of-year tour to Japan and Europe.
Perenara is the player who has led the haka on the most occasions and he resumed the role after another experienced scrum-half, Aaron Smith, retired following the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
In recent years the likes of Perenara, Smith, Codie Taylor, Ardie Savea, Liam Messam, Keven Mealamu and Tana Umaga have led the haka.
The All Blacks perform two hakas – Ka Mate and Kapa o Pango – and players who are of Maori descent have traditionally led the famous war dance although Savea, Mealamu and Umaga have Samoan heritage.
When asked who he feels should replace him as the haka’s leader, Perenara put forward the name of a player who has only made one Test appearance for the All Blacks so far.
“Big call,” Perenara told Stuff before careful consideration as he revealed his choice.
The 32-year-old said experienced hooker Taylor, who led the haka when the All Blacks faced England at Eden Park earlier this year when he was injured, had put his name forward and believes outside centre Rieko Ioane “would be amazing as well,” before naming his long-term option.
‘He’s amazing in that role’
“The person I think it could be long-term is Billy Proctor,” said Perenara. “He’s amazing in that role and the mana that he carries through haka and through Te Ao Maori.
“He leads the haka at the Hurricanes. That’s how much respect we have for him in that space.”
Perenara said performing the haka with the All Blacks was a life-changing experience as it had brought him closer to his culture.
“It meant a lot to me, being able to lead haka. I didn’t speak Maori growing up,” he revealed.
“I led haka at the start without understanding te reo Maori and te ao Maori like I do now and that has been a big reason for my journey into te ao Maori and te reo Maori.
“Haka isn’t just what I do out there, it’s changed how I am as a person and how I am as a Maori man.”
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