Star duo set to boost All Blacks’ squad, Scott Robertson delivers TJ Perenara update

All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson had some good news regarding the injury suffered by experienced scrum-half TJ Perenara and revealed that he is set to be in action in the Rugby Championship next month.

The 32-year-old sustained a knee injury during the latter stages of the opening half of New Zealand’s first Test against England in Dunedin when All Blacks skipper Scott Barrett fell on his leg after being cleaned out at a ruck.

It was the latest injury setback for Perenara, who was playing in his first Test in 20 months. This, after he ruptured his Achilles in the All Blacks’ clash with the Red Rose during the 2022 end-of-year tour and while he was on the sidelines he went under the knife twice to repair that injury.

Missed clashes against England and Fiji

The injury which he sustained in Dunedin earlier this month meant he missed the All Blacks’ next Tests against England in Auckland and Fiji in San Diego.

But, Robertson is confident Perenara would be in action in the Rugby Championship and said the 81-Test veteran is determined to beat the All Blacks’ medical team’s deadline for a full recovery.

“He diagnoses himself, old TJ,” said Robertson. “Anything the doc says, he [Perenara] minuses two or three [weeks] off it. And, look, he’s great.

“He’s tracking incredibly well, but he will be available, yes we believe, to be named.”

Robertson has used four scrum-halves for the matches against England and Fiji with Finlay Christie, Cortez Ratima and Noah Hotham the other number nines getting game-time over the three Tests.

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Only three scrum-halves are set to be named in New Zealand’s 36-man Rugby Championship squad and with Perenara set to return, it looks like Hotham will be the one missing out.

Ratima was forced off the field due to concussion in the latter stages of the first half against Fiji and did not return to action but is expected to recover in time for the Rugby Championship.

Robertson revealed that the 23-year-old was in a good mood after being assessed the day after the clash with Fiji.

“Yeah, good. He woke up well. Doc said he was in good spirits,” added Robertson. “He obviously couldn’t go back on [against Fiji] and will go through the next two or three weeks protocols, but he is in good spirits.”

Sam Cane and Will Jordan set to return

Meanwhile, apart from the good news regarding Perenara and Ratima, the All Blacks are also set to receive a shot in the arm ahead of Robertson’s squad announcement for the Rugby Championship as former captain Sam Cane and star utility back Will Jordan are reportedly close to a return to action.

According to a 1News report, the star duo are ‘almost certain’ to be named in the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship squad next Sunday.

Openside flanker Cane, who captained the All Blacks at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, has not played since January and has been sidelined with a back injury, while Jordan, who can play at full-back or on the wing, underwent surgery on an injured shoulder in February which meant he missed the Crusaders’ entire Super Rugby Pacific campaign.

However, Cane and Jordan have recovered from their respective injuries. The duo trained with the All Blacks during the recent series against England and are set to be added to Robertson’s group.

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