Hansen at ease with Perenara protest
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has no concerns with TJ Perenara’s bold wristband message in Saturday night’s test against the Wallabies.
Reserve halfback Perenara came off the bench in the 36-0 Bledisloe Cup-retaining victory at Eden Park, but made an early impact before kickoff when the haka leader was spotted with the word ‘Ihuma¯ tao’ inscribed on his arm – a show of solidarity with those protesting at the site of a proposed housing development in Auckland.
The Ihuma¯tao protest is an occupation of the land near the protected O¯ tuataua Stonefields in Ma¯ngere, in opposition to the housing development planned by Fletcher Building.
Asked on Sunday if he had any issues with what Perenara did, Hansen was unfazed.
‘‘It’s his decision,’’ he said. ‘‘It doesn’t bother me. I didn’t even notice it, to be honest.
‘‘They write all sorts of stuff on their wristbands, these blokes today.’’
Perenara has a reputation as a deep thinker and someone who’s unafraid to express his views, having also previously been vocal in his support for the LGBT community in the wake of the Israel Folau saga and in support of New Zealand’s Muslim community soon after the Christchurch massacre.
The 27-year-old visited the protest site on Sunday, and told Maori TV of his reasons for doing so, and the decision to wear the message on his wristband, which he also did in the All Blacks’ test against the Springboks in Wellington last month.
‘‘For me, wearing ‘Ihuma¯ tao’ on my wrist was a sign of solidarity with our people. It’s me showing my support and where my heart lies with it, and that’s what I could do from afar.’’
It’s not the first time an All Black has protested on their apparel.
In 2017 Sonny Bill Williams taped over a bank sponsor’s logo on his Blues Super Rugby jersey due to his religious beliefs, with Islam opposed to usury, or the charging of interest on lent money.
NZR later confirmed Williams was exercising a ‘conscientious objection’ in his contract relating to finance companies, banks, alcohol companies, tobacco companies and gambling companies.
In 2016, Kane Hames wrote ‘Standing Rock’ on his wristband in a New Zealand Ma¯ori match against the USA in Chicago, which was a message in support of indigenous people in North Dakota who were protesting against an oil pipeline being built.
At the time, NZR didn’t tell Hames he wasn’t allowed to do it again, but NZR general manager of the time, Neil Sorensen, said: ‘‘There’s an expectation that staff and players do not involve themselves in conduct that may bring their employer, and the game, into disrepute’’.
Former All Black Josh Kronfeld is another who took to his kit to protest, when he wore anti-nuclear slogans on his headgear while playing for Otago in 1995.
Kronfeld told Stuff he backed Perenara’s right to express his beliefs in the way he did.
‘‘Guys use those wristbands as a way of making statements about certain things they feel strong about,’’ he said.
‘‘It is a platform to stage what they want to say. That’s the crux.’’