Experienced Scrum-Half TJ Perenara Endorses Ardie Savea for All Blacks Captaincy
Experienced scrum-half TJ Perenara has thrown his support behind Ardie Savea to take over the coveted All Blacks captaincy from Sam Cane, who recently announced his retirement from international rugby at the end of the season.
Savea, a star back-row forward with previous experience leading his country, has emerged as a leading contender alongside utility forward Scott Barrett to succeed Cane as the new All Blacks captain. Perenara, Savea’s longtime teammate with the Hurricanes, believes the dynamic loose forward is the right man for the job.
“He’s arguably the best player in the world. He’s a really good friend of mine,” Perenara told Newshub. “I’ve seen the leadership he has within the environments I’ve been in with him. His leadership in that and [the Hurricanes] environment and what he did for our group is amazing.”
Savea is currently on a sabbatical with Japanese club Kobelco Kobe Steelers but is set to return to New Zealand within the next month and be available for the All Blacks’ mid-year internationals against England and Fiji in July.
While Perenara is firmly in Savea’s corner, he also acknowledged that Barrett, who has signed a new contract with New Zealand Rugby until 2027, would be a capable choice as the national team’s new captain.
- “Scott’s a hell of a player,” said Perenara.
- “He has respect from a lot of the team. As someone who’s won seven Super Rugby titles and had a lot to do with the Crusaders leadership group, he clearly leads their environment really well. So, there’s two clear candidates.”
The All Blacks’ captaincy decision will be a closely watched one, as the team looks to rebound after a challenging 2022 season. With the world-class talent and leadership qualities of both Savea and Barrett, the future of the All Blacks’ captaincy appears to be in capable hands.
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