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Report: All Blacks halfback headed to Japan Rugby League One

222 days ago

TJ Perenara of the New Zealand All Blacks during the International Test Match between New Zealand All Blacks and England at Forsyth Barr Stadium on July 06, 2024 in Dunedin, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Allison - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Recalled All Blacks halfback TJ Perenara looks set for his second stint in Japan according to a report by Liam Napier of the New Zealand Herald.

The 32-year-old had his first stint in Japan in 2021 for the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes before returning to New Zealand and Super Rugby with the Hurricanes.

Having successfully returned from an Achilles injury suffered in late 2022, Perenara returned to vintage form this season and was the first-choice No 9 for the All Blacks to open the season against England.

But having been a long term servant to New Zealand Rugby, Perenara looks set to head back to the land of the rising run with the Black Rams Tokyo at the end of the year according to the report.

Neither party has confirmed the move but it would draw an end to an illustrious career which includes a World U20 Championship in 2011, a Rugby World Cup win in 2015, a Super Rugby title in 2015, among other highlights.

Perenara has the current Super Rugby Pacific try scorer record with 63 in his 163 caps for the Hurricanes, one ahead of Moana Pasifika centre and ex-Hurricanes teammate Julian Savea.

Without another season with the Hurricanes, Perenara’s record could be under threat, but he will leave the Hurricanes as the most capped player in the club’s history.

With the All Blacks he has 81 Test caps and will be sure to add to that number after being named in the squad for the Rugby Championship.

Comments

6 Comments

MattJH 222 days ago

Legend, hope nothing but awesome times awaits him. All Blacks are transitioning from foster-razor eras, TJ has no doubt seen the future talent and grabbed top dollar while he can.

AM 222 days ago

Thank you TJ for entertaining us on the field for Norths, Wellington, the Hurricanes and The All Blacks! May the good Lord Bless you and your anau on your future endeavours. Nga mihi Meitaki ra!

Andrew Nichols 222 days ago

Goodo. Just seeing the future for the ABs which is Roigard,Ratima and Hotham. Avoids the hurt of being dropped.

dk 222 days ago

All the best to TJ. I hope he earns a truckload. He’ll leave with our halfback stocks looking very healthy.

Forward pass 222 days ago

Absolute quality player and he has seen NZ’s 9 stocks rise considerably now so is off to make some retirement money. Good luck to him in future.

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fl 8 minutes ago

‘Dupont may return just as fast and even wiser and smarter. France, and the world, hopes so’

Honestly I really don’t care what venue a player plays in. Dupont has been challenged plenty against top opposition.

6 Go to comments

SC 9 minutes ago

'He fits all those boxes': Former All Black's pick for Razor's openside

Because I personally do not believe that Wallace Sititi is tall enough to start at blindside flanker on an All Black team capable of winning against South Africa or France consistently (Jerome Kaino was 1.96m, not 1.88m), I believe Sititi must be the first loosie selected when healthy and put in his best position which is No 8. Hoskins Sotutu would be my backup 8.

Once you commit to playing your best player in 2024 (Sititi) at 8, it is obvious that Savea is selected at openside flanker with a Savea clone, like Peter Lakai or Bismarck Duplessis, as his backup at 7. I would select Lakai as he is 21 and his best years are ahead of him.

With Sititi at 8 and Savea at 7, the All Blacks then need to settle on a BIG mobile blindside in the Kaino mold (who hits hard in defence and runs hard in tight and is a good lineout jumper). Samipeni Fineau, Cameron Safua, Cullen Grace, Devon Flanders are options.

And of course Shannon Frizell is returning to NZ after the Japan Top League is over. My choice at 6 would be Frizell and whichever of the previous SR candidates steps up. Cullen Grace is a very good 6 but like Blackadder has been unable to stay healthy an entire season. However Grace just turned 25 so there is still hope he can overcome his injury history. Fineau needs to step up this season and start rocking big forwards and not just small 10s from Australia as he made his reputation on last season.

Three players I would move past and not select are Dalton Papalii, Luke Jacobson, and Ethan Blackadder who are all very good Super Rugby players but have been tried and tested at All Black level and none of the three have proven to be more than average. And now they are in their late 20s with little to no upside.

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Bull Shark 15 minutes ago

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If Rassie steps aside - do you think Felix would be an option? If Nienaber isn’t available?

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Francisco Roldan 16 minutes ago

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Hi Nick, very specific analysis. On Saturday we were travelling with my club to play a friendly match in preparation, and I had to be content with just analysing the data: it showed great defensive work by FRA, reflected in twice as many turnovers won as IRE. I was only able to watch the delayed video last night, and my general opinion is that FRA's game is becoming less and less dependent on its emotions. If both FRA and ARG - both are Latin teams - manage to consolidate their emotions during the course of the game, they will be feared forces internationally. FRA is already clearly demonstrating this.

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PB 17 minutes ago

Schalk Burger's controversial Felix Jones call gets immediate put down

Doubt it! If anything Nienaber may step back in, unless he resigns with Leinster.

He already has the experience and with familiar faces in DOR which Rassie could revert to, he was also familiar with all the other coaches except Tony Brown. Which all augurs for a settled transition.

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Bull Shark 25 minutes ago

How Dupont-less France tossed a grenade into Ireland's Grand Slam celebrations

Damn good scrumhalf.

Joost was also big for a scrumhalf.

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Bull Shark 31 minutes ago

Schalk Burger's controversial Felix Jones call gets immediate put down

I think Schalk is correct.

Or at least Felix is being groomed for the option.

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SL 35 minutes ago

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GrahamVF 48 minutes ago

How Dupont-less France tossed a grenade into Ireland's Grand Slam celebrations

The link to the article I posted referred to the whole of the WC so that included the games against Ireland and Scotland and so clearly knock out games are more conservative which brings the average up. I was replying to a post by JC in which he, in his usual sweeping style, generalised saying:”That style suited SA, but was a strict limited system. That basically created plays off box kicks from open play.” He was generalising South Africa’s play. I refuted it with stats from the WC.

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Lums 51 minutes ago

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1 Go to comments

GrahamVF 59 minutes ago

How Dupont-less France tossed a grenade into Ireland's Grand Slam celebrations

Don’t tell me tell the authors of the RWC article. You generalised. If you want to be specific then say so but if you generalise don’t shoot the messenger telling you you are wrong.

161 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 1 hour ago

How Dupont-less France tossed a grenade into Ireland's Grand Slam celebrations

Really? Perhaps you’ve heard of RTE?

https://www.rte.ie/sport/six-nations/2025/0226/1499127-some-irish-fans-need-to-take-hard-look-at-themselves/

161 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 1 hour ago

How Dupont-less France tossed a grenade into Ireland's Grand Slam celebrations

“What BOD said is been twisted as he said a small minority and was referred to the OTB tools.”

Really? So the link below has the full interview with BOD and while he doesn’t apply the criticism to the Irish team, the fans are very much front and centre of his accusation.

Ps RTE is the national broadcaster in Ireland, so not a single tin pot podcast outfit!

https://www.rte.ie/sport/six-nations/2025/0226/1499127-some-irish-fans-need-to-take-hard-look-at-themselves/

161 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 1 hour ago

How Dupont-less France tossed a grenade into Ireland's Grand Slam celebrations

Well first up, I’m not a Bok so that’s one arrogant presumption from you that we can nail straight up. Second, I don’t recall the Smit quote but acknowledge that it may be accurate. However context is everything so it’s an open question on whether your use of the quote, in the event that it is in fact accurate, is relevant to your reply. Perhaps you can provide a reference, as I have below for the BOD quote? Either way, it’s not a common occurrence for former captains to slam their own fans.

You have a good day now!

161 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 1 hour ago

How Dupont-less France tossed a grenade into Ireland's Grand Slam celebrations

That would leave people speechless, a lot of people!

161 Go to comments