Injured All Black 'on track' for Super Rugby return this season

Hurricanes coach Jason Holland believes injured All Black TJ Perenara is “on track to be playing” before the end of this year’s Super Rugby Pacific campaign.

Veteran scrumhalf Perenara ruptured his Achilles during the All Blacks’ end-of-season tour last year, having come off the bench against England at Twickenham.

The broadcast showed Perenara limping from the field in the dying stages of the 25-all draw with England, which had seemingly put his dream of a third World Cup appearance in doubt.

But, incredibly, the 80-Test veteran was back running during a Hurricanes training session in Upper Hutt this week.

The injury update has come as a welcome shock to rugby fans around the world, considering Perenara had reportedly been set for a nine month stint on the sidelines.

Coach Jason Holland quipped that Perenara would replace the suspended Ardie Sava at No. 8 this week, before commenting on his “ridiculous” recovery.

“Yeah mate, he’s playing number eight in the weekend,” Holland joked.

“Nah, he’s been running which is a bit ridiculous really.

“We have all the facilities out there that he can run, like a pretty awesome machine that takes some of his body weight away and he can run on the treadmill there too.

“But he’s on track to be playing before the end of the season without a shadow of a doubt.

“It might be different to what the medics expectations were when he first did it but I’ve seen TJ before and he tends to get back a hell of a lot quicker than what he’s supposed to and what normal people do.”

While Perenara has been out of action, rising star Cam Roigard has more than made up for his absence with two phenomenal performances in the No. 9 jersey.

Roigard, who was included in last year’s All Blacks XV squad, has shown glimpses of international potential across the two rounds of the Super season.

Halfback Jamie Booth has also done the jersey justice this season, and could potentially make his 50^th Super Rugby appearance off the bench in round three.

“The boys have been outstanding,” he added.

“Cam is playing some awesome footy and the control that Boothy adds, he’s a smart rugby head and he comes on and knows exactly how to get the team home.

“There might be scope going forward to play them the other way around because we know just how good Cam is off the bench, like we know Boothy is.

“Getting Teej back, it will be good competition.”

After starting their season with a commanding victory over the Queensland Reds in Townsville, the Hurricanes maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a win over the Rebels in Super Round.

Playing against the home town favourites on Friday, the Hurricanes survived a second-half fightback from the Rebels to hang on for a 39-33 win.

Next up, the Hurricanes are set to run out to Sky Stadium for the first time this season, when they host North Island rivals the Blues on Saturday.