‘Biggest game of the year’: TJ Perenara looks ahead to ‘massive’ Boks Test

With 83 Tests of international experience, TJ Perenara understands what it’s like to both play and win at some of the most intimidating rugby venues around the world. The All Black has played at Eden Park, Twickenham, and others, but none are quite like Johannesburg’s Ellis Park.

For rugby fans around the world, the desire to visit Ellis Park is nothing short of a dream. The world-famous venue was immortalised in history as the site for the 1995 Rugby World Cup Final and it’s hosted countless famous clashes in the almost 30 years since.

More than 60,000 passionate rugby fans will want to make their voices heard on Saturday evening when the world champion Springboks host one of their fiercest rivals. The All Blacks are in town and they won’t want to leave empty-handed in The Rugby Championship.

New Zealand have come out on top in three of the last four meetings between the two proud rugby nations at Ellis Park, but history means nothing if the playing group don’t bring their A-game this weekend. It’s a challenge, for sure, but an “opportunity” as well.

“It’s a massive opportunity for us to come into Ellis Park and play against a really (good) South Africa team in one of the toughest stadiums to go to in the world,” Perenara told reporters in Johannesburg on Thursday.

“We’re excited about that opportunity.

“Probably take the lessons of understanding the environment. Players who have been here before understand what environment we’re walking into this weekend, and the knowledge of the altitude so you’re aware of that. That’s not as much as a shock.

“But the rugby itself, two very different teams, different players with different styles of game now too. For us, we take the lessons of, like I’ve said, the environment and stuff like that but focusing on our team and the team that we’re coming up against this week.”

On Thursday, the All Blacks announced their team to take on the Boks this weekend. Perenara will start at halfback for the third Test in a row, with the seasoned campaigner set to combine with the always-dangerous Damian McKenzie in the halves.

But the big talking point of the team naming was the return of former captain Sam Cane and current skipper Scott Barrett. Cane is set to start an All Blacks Test for the first time since last year’s Rugby World Cup Final defeat to the Springboks in Saint-Denis.

It’s an exciting time of Test week when either international side unveils their team for the weekend. South Africa revealed their lineup on Tuesday, but the countdown to kick-off is well and truly on now with the New Zealanders confirming their side.

Two days out from the Test, Perenara was asked what he enjoys the most about playing the Springboks. It’s a storied rivalry that goes back more than 100 Test matches, and Perenara is eager to seize the moment in “the biggest game of the year.”

“I look forward to the (big) occasions. Playing South Africa in South Africa, it’s one of the biggest Tests you can play,” Perenara explained.

“I know all the years that I’ve been an All Black, it’s probably the one that when you look back on that season, it’s like, ‘Man, that was the biggest game of the year. That was the biggest game of the year,' and it’s consistently that.

“When we’re preparing for a game, we prepare for every game as normal. My preparation for this week is the same as my preparation for Argentina in Auckland, which was the same as my preparation for Argentina in Wellington.

“When you look back on it… you can start to see how big each of those games were.

“I look forward to that physical battle, the environment that we’re going to be walking into, and just the battle of rugby that goes out on the field against a South African team in South Africa.”