TJ Perenara: All Blacks halfback on being picked to play the next round of test matches

It's been a couple years since TJ Perenara played an All Blacks test match, but he's thrilled to be back on the field.

The halfback joined Piney to discuss today's announcement.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldergrave
from News Talk zed BE.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
He's on the mic down in Christchurch at the Tipei
Convention Center with us TJ. Thank you for jumping on
sports Talk tonight. Your last Test match was back in
twenty twenty two, so how special was it to hear
your name read out again tonight?

Speaker 3 (00:28):
Ye? Is pretty special a I found out last night.
I got a call from raiser to say to come
down to the announcement, so I was able to tell
my wife, but I still didn't feel it didn't feel
like it was done until I heard my name read out,
and I hadn't told my parents and that they heard
it for the first time when the rest of the
country did too. So it was a pretty cool moment
hearing that.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
Man, I know you're a part of a very very
tight family, no doubt, once you get done with all
your media duties, your phone will be blowing up. But
how special is this? You know? As I say, you've
done it pretty tough over the last year to eighten
months with the injuries you've had to come back from.
But here you are now again about to play in
that black jersey that I know you, but so much.

Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah, it has been the tough journey man like the injury,
the reinjury, the couple surgeries. There's some there's some tough moments.
There was a lot of time alone, a lot of
time actually spent with our physio and Wellington Nick. So
thankful for her and the work that she put in.
She was just constant. She was a constant in that
rehair process. So it was long. It was a really

(01:30):
tough journey, but I'm grateful for it because it makes
me so much more grateful for the game of rugby
and the opportunities I get to go out there and
play the game I love.

Speaker 2 (01:36):
And what a season you had. Did you feel like
you were in the mix again? Or is that not
something that you think about? That's an outcome, right? Do
you just think about process?

Speaker 3 (01:46):
Now? I thought I was in the mix. As a competitor,
you go out there and you want to be better
than the players in your position, and I thought I
thought I played well this year. We had some lines,
played some really good footy this year, and I saw
myself up there with the best of them. So I
always becked myself in and thought I had an opportunity
to be in this vironment. I also understand that it's

(02:08):
not my decision who's in the environment, and that's into
other people's hands. But I just wanted to put myself
in the best position I could play the best footy
I could and then leave it to the hands.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
Of the selectors and in the half back group. Fin
like Christie obviously, but Courties will at him a brand
new All Black. He heard his name called out for
the first time today. Did that kind of you know,
take you back a bit. What twenty fourteen when it
was you who heard your name for the first time.
Can you imagine the feelings he's feeling tonight?

Speaker 3 (02:33):
Yeah? I can. Hearing his name was pretty special. As
like I was spent some time with Quartiers. We played
Maybe's fifteen together room with him, and every time we
play against each other we always catch up. So I'm
super proud of Courtiers Finlay as well. Like he had
his injury this year, for him to come back and
play some awesome footy at the back end of the
season and win a championship, it's amazing for those boys too,

(02:56):
So I'm super proud of those boys. There's another couple
hunts in this country who who are playing some amazing
rugby as well. So our stocks at nine high. It
forces us all to continue to be good, continue to
grow and continue to like expand our game because of
the healthy competition that we do have.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
And another couple of new faces to the All Black's
environment a couple of Hurricanes brothers, Passily and Tossi and
Billy Propter. How pleased day for those two.

Speaker 3 (03:24):
Yeah, super stoke Dad. When I saw Pussy at the
airport this afternoon, I like started jumping. But I'm so
proud of him. He only started playing prop three or
four years ago and to see the growth in him
it has been amazing.

Speaker 1 (03:37):
Man.

Speaker 3 (03:38):
He deserves it. He deserves He stepped in for Lowe
this year when Louie was injured and he held down
our scrum man like dominated as well. So I'm super
stop for him and Billy Procter. When his name got
called out, brol so palm day. He It's probably been
the best player at the Canes for the last two
or three years. With Art is obviously a freak too,
but the consistency Billy has for our team, I'm so

(04:01):
glad that he's been given this opportunity. To be an
All Black because I believe he deserves I believe he's
work so hard and bye. He's such a good player.

Speaker 2 (04:10):
You've worked hard and you deserve it too. I'm so
pleased for your TJ. Thanks for taking the time for
a chat mate. All the best for an exciting back
end of the year.

Speaker 3 (04:16):
Thank you, my brother.

Speaker 2 (04:17):
You take care of you, take care too, TJ. Thank you, mate, TJ.
Pet Andada they're back in the All Blacks as one
of three halfbacks. Finlay Christi and Cortez Rolatima brand new
cap are the others.

Speaker 1 (04:27):
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