'We've liked Stephen for two or three years': Ian Foster on Perofeta's All Blacks call-up

Blues utility back Stephen Perofeta’s rich vein of form has been rewarded with a call-up to the All Blacks squad, but head coach Ian Foster has plans to use the talented playmaker as a first-five rather than fullback.

Perofeta has formed a playmaking one-two punch with All Blacks star Beauden Barrett in this year’s Super Rugby Pacific, helping guide the Blues to an appearance in the final against the Crusaders at Eden Park on Saturday.

Foster said the 25-year-old has had a massive leap in terms of his performances this year, which has propelled him into the national frame, whilst admitting that he has been on the radar for quite some time.

Dave Rennie on the Wallabies squad

Dave Rennie on the Wallabies squad

“Stephen Perofeta just played really, really well,” Foster said on Monday of his latest No 10.

“We’ve honestly liked Stephen for two or three years. He’s had some niggles, he’s had a few wobbles with his goal kicking but, wow, hasn’t he shifted his game this year?

“The work that Leon [MacDonald] and probably Beaudy has done alongside him has been outstanding. He’s settled, he’s confident, he’s playing as well at 15 as he is at 10 and is goal kicking well.”

With the All Blacks attack faltering last November against aggressive front line defence, Foster highlighted Perofeta’s silky skills as a ball-player at the line as one asset that the selectors took notice of.

“I think the thing we do love about him, particularly as a 10, is his ability to create space close to a line, with his feet, he’s got great composure under a bit of line speed pressure. I think that’s important,” he said.

The Whanganui product first came to prominence as a Blues first-five in 2017 as a fresh 20-year-old, showing glimpses of his attacking potential the following year with 11 starts across 14 games.

However, his Super Rugby career took a back seat with the arrival of former Hurricane Otere Black in 2019, and then of Barrett in 2020, prompting a shift to fullback in order to get more game time with two other pivots on the roster.

The view from the All Blacks is that Perofeta is primarily a 10, however, and plan to use him in a similar capacity to Damian McKenzie, who is yet to return to New Zealand since playing club rugby in Japan and offers cover at 10 and 15.

“We see him [Perofeta] as a 10, he’s a 10 that can play 15 clearly,” Foster explained.

“He’s been more and more impressive at 15 as he’s got along, they’ve [Barrett and Perofeta] looked really calm. They’ve interchanged well, so we’ve certainly been watching that with interest.

“His defence is pretty good. He would be a bit frustrated with that first one the other day [against the Brumbies] but that was at 10 ironically.

“We see him as a 10 who can play 15 and it gives us a nice little option in terms of selecting our 23, having someone who can cover both which maybe means you can take a midfielder in to compliment that at times.”