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InternationalHurricanes

Report: All Blacks halfback set for Japan move in 2021

(Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Another All Black is set to spend a season in Japan, according to reports out of New Zealand.

Wellington and Hurricanes halfback TJ Perenara is on the cusp of inking a deal with a Top League side according to Stuff.

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Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick spent the 2020 season in Japan until the competition was called off due to the coronavirus pandemic. Retallick is set to return next season while Beauden Barrett will also be making the move over.

Perenara, a former Super Rugby teammate of Barrett’s, is y close to signing with the NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes, a side that currently employs NZ cult hero Marty Banks as well as former Chief Tom Marshall.

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The Aotearoa Rugby Pod with Blues hooker James Parsons and Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall discuss everything All Blacks as they head into the first Bledisloe Cup test against the Wallabies.

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The Aotearoa Rugby Pod with Blues hooker James Parsons and Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall discuss everything All Blacks as they head into the first Bledisloe Cup test against the Wallabies.

The Red Hurricanes have a considerably smaller budget than the likes of Retallick’s Kobelco Steelers and Barrett’s Suntory Sungoliath, with Perenara set to be their biggest name on the ledger next season.

The 2021 Top League will likely be the last under the current structure, with a revamped competition set to take over in 2022. The final table next year will decide which divisions each team plays in moving forward, which could force a number of sides to stack their squads for the coming season.

Neither the (New Zealand) Hurricanes nor Perenara’s agent have confirmed a move for the 28-year-old as yet.

Perenara is currently the All Blacks‘ second-choice halfback, although he’s pushed Aaron Smith in recent years. Perenara, Smith and Brad Weber have all been selected for this month’s Bledisloe Cup series.

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Should Perenara make the move to Japan next year, he’ll miss the entirety of Super Rugby Aotearoa but likely still be available for the mid-year test matches.

Earlier this year, NZR general manager professional rugby, Chris Lendrum, said that more top All Blacks were having flexible arrangements built into their contracts – including sabbaticals.

“It allows our top players to refresh in a different rugby environment but remain committed to New Zealand Rugby which, in the long term, is great for both parties,” he said.

A Japan sojourn for Perenara would mark the first time that a non-first choice All Blacks had been granted a break from rugby in New Zealand.

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Y
YeowNotEven 20 minutes ago
Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Would have been awesome to have a Bledisloe ANZAC game.

It would suck if they had it in Perth every year though. Gotta get it to Eden park.

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D
David Gomiez 21 minutes ago
Mixed Wales update on availability of Josh Adams, Gareth Anscombe

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Spew_81 23 minutes ago
Hurricanes vs Waratahs takes: The yellow wall in midfield, Tahs backs outshined

Love should get some time at 10. He’s clearly got the ability to be a second playmaker, but primarily at 15. Some time at 10, even just standing at first receiver, will only help his playmaking skills. He set up two tries with good distribution.


He kicks goals well. He could be a second B Barrett. But keep his main position at 15.

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SG 59 minutes ago
All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

England have absolutely no need for him. Tom Willis and Ben Earl are better with a much higher work rate.

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Thomas Walsh 1 hour ago
Super Rugby Pacific's rebirth can finally restore the missing All Blacks edge

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J
JW 1 hour ago
'Ulster, though no one wants to admit it, isn't much more than a development province right now.'

No full games on the IRU YT channel unfortunately, all on subscription? Looks a fairly good level (1A).


Yes I mean I wouldn’t really know the local ratio of origin here, but certainly as a province with less resources mine has a ratio that veers heavily towards club rep. The club stories are often the best so get probably an imbalanced proportion of coverage to where most players actually come from though.


Those were a couple of Ulster (regional) clubs too, good good. Those clubs/size towns are very much where you find most talent coming from (compared to the big city), so your productivity depends very much on your systems in place for scouting talent. With the more wealthy and popular sport of NRL (hence more info out there) I’ve seen some interesting studies on player origins in this respect, which I think would be a very balanced base of data to draw conclusions from.


Yes I’m wondering how those names as examples compare to the likes of Bryne getting squeezed out for a lack of places. I’m only thinking of effects far down the line as a result of Irelands #1 ranking and increased publicity/interest and how Irelands system will take advantage of them.

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GP 1 hour ago
James O'Connor earns first Crusaders start against Moana Pasifika

Regarding the Crusaders side . Great to see promising young lock Jamie Hannah back in the starting team. He has certainly been through the mill since debuting for the Crusaders, even before playing for Canterbury. All his hard work has paid off. Antonio Shalfoon , who has been rested for this match has been amazing locking with AB captain Scott Barrett. I really rate Jamie Hannah as one of the best young locks of which there are a few coming through. Including his Canterbury and Crusaders team mate Liam Jack. Father is Graham Jack ,he played for Canterbury and the Crusaders in the 1990’s. Older brother of Chris, who of course was an All Black.

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A
Andrew Nichols 1 hour ago
All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Gloucester are in the market for a top-class replacement ..Well why would they then be talking to HS?

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Utiku Old Boy 1 hour ago
All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

I include Cunningham-South. He was born in England but moved to NZ at 4 yrs and learnt his rugby there. His dad was a schoolboy coach. In recent years, Teimana Harrison was - as was Brad Shields.

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G
GB 1 hour ago
All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Cunningham-South was born in the UK but raised in NZ.

Makes a good point, wouldn't walk into the English set up.

Better to roll his sleeves up and play himself into the ABs

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S
Spew_81 1 hour ago
Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Not sure what the ethical issue is. If it’s going for the money, it’s either do that or NZ rugby slowly dies as all the better players leave. So it’s the more lesser of two evils. Sell out a bit more as a Union, or the players sell out one by one.

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S
Spew_81 1 hour ago
Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Yes, the team was similar. But the two locks made a huge difference. Kaino wasn’t a lock and Tuipolutu has only very recently started playing close to his potential (his work rate was terrible until recently).


The Irish lineout maul wouldn’t have been the weapon it was on that day if Hansen started Whitelock and Retallick (or even two proper locks). Though they wouldn’t have been guaranteed to win.


Doing the new haka when the Irish were mourning a great of theirs didn’t help. The action at the end of that haka has been interpreted negatively and some see it as a but disrespectful.


Still if the All Blacks did their normal haka they wouldn’t have been guaranteed to win.

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K
Koro Teeps 1 hour ago
All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Absolutely no certainty he would make the current English squad. He’s not in the All Black conversation either. Physical, explosive player with ball in hand but sometimes struggles to impose himself fully on all aspects of the game.

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D
DC 2 hours ago
All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Who are the Kiwis (plural)? The only one I can think of is Ethan Root.

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Gradier Walter 3 hours ago
Don't get out over your skis on the Highlanders

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JE 4 hours ago
'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Well, at least France do not have to supply players to the Lions. On the other hand, apart from England going to Argentina, Ireland’s, Scotland’s and Wales’ tours are less challenging than France’s. I wonder what SA are doing this Summer?!

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Utiku Old Boy 4 hours ago
All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

English loose forward stocks are pretty healthy currently and already feature a kiwi or two. A move to the UK would have to be for the Premiership on its own merits - with no better odds for international honors - and would close the door on any further possible AB future. Increased work rate, motivation, energy combined with his obvious skills could see him back in contention in NZ but it is not going to be handed to him.

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Utiku Old Boy 4 hours ago
Hurricanes vs Waratahs takes: The yellow wall in midfield, Tahs backs outshined

Agree with most of this. Sullivan (along with Umaga-Jensen) and Love were skillful, energetic and accurate. I don’t know if NZ teams will show their normal dominance in the comp this year as the Australian sides are definitely more competitive and some of the margins are pretty slim. This game stands out as a surprise because halfway through the first period you felt it could go either way - except the Canes defense was outstanding from the get-go. The unstoppable flow of points was very Hurricanes and I know they will be aiming for consistency. Walker-Leawere looks like an AB when he plays like that. If he can keep that work-rate and accuracy up consistently and avoid his tendency for penalties, he could find himself in Ryan’s sights.

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d 5 hours ago
Hurricanes vs Waratahs takes: The yellow wall in midfield, Tahs backs outshined

Did Love just put in a convincing argument for AB status? I think he showed more vision than Jordan, who might be better going back to wing to replace Reece, who simply makes too many mistakes in the black jersey. On the other wing, Clarke’s AB status will be under threat from guys like Naholo, too.

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