- TJ Perenara back – Scrum half set for first All Blacks cap since Twickenham ‘22
Robertson made an interesting selection for his side at scrum half, as he picked TJ Perenara to take the nine shirt. The halfback’s last appearance for the All Blacks coincidentally was against England, in the 25-25 draw at Twickenham back in the Autumn of 2022.
Perenara returned to New Zealand this past season, after a three year sabbatical in Japan. The scrum half picked up from where he left off with the Hurricanes, and impressed throughout the Super Rugby campaign to win back his spot in the All Blacks starting line-up.
SCOTT ROBERTSON: “He picked himself for it, he’s on form. You know, he’s a competitor he has 80 Test matches in. He’s played a lot, been round. He’s the koro (Maori – elder man) we needed, he’s owned a lot of this week and what’s required. He’s a Test match footballer.”
- Razor is ‘enjoying the energy’ of Dunedin ahead of first Test.
As enigmatic as head coaches come, Robertson is thriving in the All Blacks environment in Dunedin, as he prepares to oversee his first Test match in charge. The opening match is held at the bottom of New Zealand’s South Island, and despite the remote location of the world’s southernmost city, there is certainly a buzz around Dunedin as we approach match day.
SCOTT ROBERTSON: “Yeah, well you’ve got to enjoy it, that’s one thing I’ve managed to do most of my career. I enjoy the energy of it that’s created, like I said, with the people, and the Kiwis getting in behind us.
“This is starting to fill up, and old Dunedin, the bottom of the South, bottom of the world really in regards to the rugby side of it. You’ll enjoy it, you’re going to connect with and tap into it, you know, how things are run together. We walk, and we walk with people in the south this week.”