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TJ Perenara explains how the All Blacks exploited new law against Argentina

By Ben Smith
Will Jordan of New Zealand is congratulated on scoring a try by TJ Perenara during The Rugby Championship match between New Zealand All Blacks and Argentina at Eden Park on August 17, 2024 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Dave Rowland/Getty Images)

All Blacks halfback TJ Perenara has revealed how the All Blacks used the new law around protecting the No 9 to target Argentina at maul time.

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From a lineout maul 40 metres out from the Pumas line, Perenara attacked the blindside channel after detaching with ball-in-hand.

The veteran No 9 then produced a miraculous one-hand pass in the tackle to speedster Will Jordan who raced down the sideline to extend the All Blacks lead to 26-3.

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Perenara explained that the play was installed in part due to the closed law trials this year that protect the nine at the base of the scrum, ruck and at the maul.

A little bit of both. Like we spoke about a pre-lineout that if a space opens up there, then we like Will’s [Jordan] chances in that space,” Perenara explained to media post-match. 

“The new rules as well. The guy on the side of the maul can’t make a tackle on a No 9 unless he’s run like a metre outside of the maul as well. Yeah, he can’t be attached and impact the play straight away.”

The law trialled in Major League Rugby in the USA which gives the halfback more room to operate states “the nine will not be able to be played while the ball is still near a tackle, ruck or maul.”

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The closest defender on the play was tighthead prop Lucio Sordoni, who was bound to the maul when Perenara broke away.

The mismatch of a prop on a halfback gave the All Blacks the extra space to make something special happen. Perenara was able to get outside of him and draw the next defender, opposite halfback Gonzalo Bertranou.

“So seeing that they had a prop in that position, gave us a little channel that we liked, and Will Jordan is a really good rugby player so you get the ball to him and he can do some pretty cool stuff,” Perenara said. 

However, there was still work to do with a superb piece of skill by Perenara required to make the play happen.

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Santiago Carreras went for the intercept so Perenara had to double pump to get the ball behind his back, all while being tackled by his opposite number
Bertranou.

“It was lucky I didn’t give the first one because that winger, he can shift, he probably scores down the other end if I give the first pass,” he said.

Watch the exclusive reveal-all episode of Walk the Talk with Ardie Savea as he chats to Jim Hamilton about the RWC 2023 experience, life in Japan, playing for the All Blacks and what the future holds. Watch now for free on RugbyPass TV

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13 Comments
G
GegH1 22 days ago

If he's given the space then the ruck or maul is not over, so in theory if he fakes the pass, with a double pump, he is then in breach of the rules again and a penalty should be awarded to the opposition 16.11.c

B
B.J. Spratt 23 days ago

The only way New Zealand will beat South Africa is to reduce South Africa's chances of Scrummaging and Lineouts.


Don't make mistakes and give them scrums and "keep the ball in play"


Don't give away possession by kicking the ball back to them. Run the ball, take the tackle and keep possession and do it again and again and again....


Possession, Possession, Possession.

J
JosephHassan 23 days ago

NZ have a better scrum than SA right now

D
DS 23 days ago

Best rule change / reversion for ages. Frees up the halfback to get play moving instead of the annoying 9 messing things up.


Next: rid the game of the rolling maul, especially passing the ball back and obstructing the opposition - long overdue.

B
B 24 days ago

from leading the haka to putting on a top notch shift as half back, it was good to be there watching as the AB's turned it on after last weekends demoralising loss....Ardie Savea was the main reason the plays were working by ensuring everyone was mentally and physically focused and backing each other up...

D
DS 23 days ago

Yes but Argentina were not at the races. That's how it goes with them. Foster's team put 50 points on them after losing the previous game.

Also it was just one half. Calm down.

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N
NS 2 hours ago
All Blacks dared to put 'record on the line' in 'biggest game in 2025'

We need big bodies to match European and South African Team. NZ got them in heaps. The end of the year Northern Hemisphere tour is coming and it is the perfect time to realign and makes changes.

Firstly, a few pointers for Razor. BB and DMAc are not 1st Fives. As long as these two start all blacks will never win big games. Pick only one in the reserve for big games as cover for FB. Richie Moanga is ok and better than BB and DMAc at 1st five. If Richie is available BB and Dmac should never be picked.

Secondly, Rico has to go. Rico is the reason why all blacks did not win the world cup. It was lost in the quarter final when he sledged departing Irish player. Perhaps if he had performed a haka and bring him to tears rather than derail him in his last day, Rugby Gods will be smiling at AB. It is karma. Like Gregans "wait 4 more years" Sledge and Australia lost the final to England

On the other hand, you see the South African players will never ever do such acts and go down that low. They are very respectful and good people and they will keep winning. Rugby Gods will make South Africa win and they will keep winning unless Scott makes these changes

Thirdly, Don't let Sam Cane go. All Blacks have to keep him for big games. All Blacks Maul Defense is good because of him. Just keep him at test level and no other Rugby or very minimal club Rugby. Young loosies should hang around with Cane and learn about humility and respect

A message to BB, Dmac, Rico, Ardie Savea and TJ. Please make yourselves unavailable for 2 years. Ardie you are good but not a Back Row. You are too light.

That out of the way, now let’s select the team.

Front row sorted out by Jason Ryan. Won’t talk about it.

Locking sorted out with Tupou, Scott, Darry, Pat Tuipulotu and Josh Lord

Loosies. Do away with Ardie for a while. Go with Siti, Sotutu, Cane, Ethan, Jacobson, Papalii and Finau

Young stars like Satiti and Finau have to be grounded and train hard in the gym and bulk up for the next world cup. Sotutu has to work harder off the ball.

Half Backs: TJ out.  Cam Roigard [has to learn to scream and communicate game time], Ratima and Noah Hotham

Back Line:            1st Five: Harry Plummer [Inside center Cover]

                                2nd five: JB [Fullback and first five cover]

                                Outside Centre: Billy Proctor

                                Wings: Clarke and Will Jordon [Fullback Cover]

                                Fullback: Ruben Love [1st Five Cover], Zarn Sullivan

Wings: Shaun Stevson [Fullback Cover], Talaea and Narawa

Centre: Quinn Tupaea, Umaga Jenson Brothers - need big boys, ALB

Messaage to BB, DMac, Ardiae, Rico and  TJ. If you want All Backs to evolve and be world leaders again, please make yourselves unavailable for 2 years. Please just do it for your country. You will come back stronger in 2 years.

New Zealand team reminds me of NSW State of Origin. They always had the best players in their positions but never selected them in their position until Madge came and now NSW will be untouchable.

12 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
'Schmidt will not be forgiven or forgotten if Wallabies suffer Bled-bath'

After a promising beginning at the restarts led by young lock Jeremy Williams

Haha and your man Frost got out jumped by a prop at the restart! As Rassie referred to Ethan Blackadder as "PSdT like" after their game I think I'll take the player support prize here thank you Nick!


Yep, all Gordon had to do was pass immediately and the whole situation becomes a positive about the good carry forward on exists.


Classic vide that! Love the Irerish crowd boeing two clear backward passes, a great example of what was to come over the next decade from the Emerald Isle! Awesome old comms quality hand to the ear "what was that?"!! That last sequence reminds of of how well the All Blacks attacked this weekend. It might be as far back as this game was played the last time we saw the AB build that sort of pressure on their own back without relying on any sort of opportunity from the opposition.

Argentina head honcho Felipe Contempomi cut his teeth as an attack coach in Stuart Lancaster’s innovative system at Leinster

Ahhh! That explains the great depth and sideways rugby they are playing!! Hve to disagree on your diagnosis you have to attack it, I think thats why Stuar and Contepomi want you to do. Best idea is Schmidt do what he did with the All Blacks, which seems to what they're trying, if not still without at least a few steps up. In saying that though, again this Springbok attack, I felt the All Blacks should hve kept pressure that first or second receiver after the first two steps up they take. They seemed ripe for the pick by contrast to Los Pumas.


If you look at Reece's side of the field, that would be a great oppostunity for NZ to perform blitzes on, Barrett, Rieko, and a thundering Reece doing his Feyi-Waboso impersonation would be the best blitz backline in the world. Clarke on the other wing too if playing. I think Dlyan Pietsch has the attitude and tackling technique to try and pull it off?


In fairness, I feel what you are seeing as passivity on defence as actually coming from a lack of intensity in general from Australia. I was thinking about that during this game. It might be New Zealands great battle with the Springboks that has enabled them to develop it as a weapon, but I can't ever remember it as being one of the Wallabies. Those clashes always seem to been about pure tempo. The ABs flicked a switch in game two versus Argentina and kept their physicality up through both South African games. Perhaps that is the "Australian Way" piece that Schmidt is missing? 'Tempo' is a much hard switch to find, especially in the dark.

206 Go to comments
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