Hurricanes

Bio

TJ Perenara’s stocks keep rising. After captaining and starring in the New Zealand Secondary Schools side and making his Vodafone Wellington Lions debut the previous season, Perenara was a World Cup winner in Italy in June 2011. He was the starting halfback for the New Zealand U20s in the final of the IRB Junior World Championships, helping New Zealand to their 33-22 win over England.

Returning home, Perenara joined the Vodafone Wellington Lions and was an integral member of the Lions squad in the 2011 ITM Cup. He appeared in all 10 matches and was the starting halfback in seven of these.

In 2010 he capped off a big year when he made his Wellington Lions debut in the final ITM Cup round-robin game of the year against Southland. Selection at halfback for his first Lions cap came soon after he was bestowed the honour of captaining the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ side to their one-off ‘Test’ against Australia Schools in Dunedin. He also kicked 15 points in a 30-21 win.

Perenara, who was still at school at Mana College in 2010, previously stood out for his Northern United club side at the business end of the Wellington club rugby season, winning the Jimmy Brown Medal for the Player of the Match in Norths’ Jubilee Cup final win against Poneke.

Still aged 19, Perenara joined the Hurricanes for his first Super Rugby contract in 2012.

Stats

Provincial Teams

Wellington

Provincial Points

5 (1 try)

Provincial Caps

12

Provincial Debut

2010 v Southland

Rugby facts

Earliest Rugby Memory

Rugby Training on Onepoto Park with Pop

Position When Younger

Halfback

Most Admired Rugby Player

Daniel Carter, Will Genia

Biggest Rugby Influence

Pop and Parents

Most Memorable Rugby Moment

U20 World Cup final - 2011