Future is now for Perofeta
wins in 23 tests under Jones speaks of all-embracing dominance, but that is far from the reality, with the Australian admitting that his side had not improved over the past 12 months. In part, enforced absence, with 15 players away with the Lions, has caused that lull. In part, it is a matter of upping the ante. That process is relentless and everpresent, with captain Dylan Hartley subbed out of a full-bore session yesterday, players grunting their way up hills, to do 10 reps on the sidelines to correct poor ballcarrying technique in one training drill. Such are Jones’s standards, such is the exactitude.
England are efficient, hard-nosed and collectively tough. Yet there have been only intermittent signs of pomp and swagger, sporadic flashes of forward heft and backline majesty. This is the championship for some of those doubts to be laid to rest, for the quibbles and shrugs to become nods of approval, purrs of admiration.
Jones makes absolutely no apology for emphasising the primacy of the physical engagement.
‘‘To be the best in the world is not about doing brilliant things but about doing the basics brilliantly,’’ Jones said.
‘‘The Six Nations is a massive physical contest, a massive setpiece contest. We have got to have that combative mindset in Rome. We want our set-piece to be bulletproof.
‘‘We have to have great line speed in defence and our attack has to punch holes. We want to run through them, smash them at the clean-out and when they get the ball, all that they can see is this white line of jerseys coming at them and there is nowhere for them to go.’’
Telegraph, London It was Rene Ranger who last year perceptively handed young Blues playmaker Stephen Perofeta the moniker Stephen Pero-future.
Well, that future is now for the gifted 20-year-old who looks set to take on the responsibility as the starting first five-eighth for Tana Umaga’s side in the upcoming Super Rugby season. No pressure, but the under-achieving Auckland franchise has only been waiting for a world-class No 10 to steer their ship since Carlos Spencer headed off at the end of the 2005 season to finish his career in the north.
Since then a succession of playmakers have been tried, with varying degrees of success. But none have mastered the art of running a team to the level Spencer did, with the Blues’ sorry record of just one post-season appearance in the last decade testament to that.
The theory has always been that you can’t contend for a Super Rugby title without a world class operator running the show at No 10. But if Ranger is any judge, Perofeta could be the answer to long-suffering Blues fans’ prayers.
Certainly the buzz around the young man is exceedingly positive, with his cameo effort last year in masterminding the monumental upset of the British and Irish Lions considered a glimpse at a very, very bright future.
In a perfect world Perofeta might have been eased into the starting No 10 role for the Blues in 2018 by sharing time with new recruit Otere Black who signed with the Auckland franchise in a bid to step out from the giant shadow cast by Beauden Barrett at the Hurricanes.
But a major knee injury in provincial rugby late last year wrecked Black’s Super Rugby season before it even began, leaving the path clear for Perofeta to step in and live up to that legacy predicted by Ranger.
Early signs are promising to say the least. Perofeta came off the bench to play a major role in the Blues’ impressive 45-19 pre-season dismantling of the Chiefs in Te Kuiti on Friday, and afterwards he reflected with a good deal of maturity on the opportunity lies ahead of him this season.
‘‘I have to make most of this chance,’’ he says. ‘‘It’s there for the taking and the key thing is just to play how I play, direct the forwards, play how T (coach Tana Umaga) wants us to play and within that that play the game that I know.’’
The young man also appears to have his head round a challenge that carries a lot of responsibility but also all sports of opportunity.
‘‘This could be a good chance, or where it all falls apart,’’ he says with a grin. ‘‘I think I get to pick where I go. I feel like I’m heading in a good direction, but it’s about not being happy with where I’m at, and keep looking to get better and not settling for the level I’m playing at.’’
And the pressure that will inevitably hover over his quest to finally steer the Blues out of the basement of the New Zealand Super Rugby conference?
‘‘I relish that,’’ he responds. ‘‘I like a good challenge and this is a massive challenge ahead. I know that. I’m aware of the expectations we all face. And I’m confident in the work I’m doing to take that on when the season starts.’’
This could be a good chance, or where it all falls apart. I get to pick where I go. Stephen Perofeta
Perofeta also appears to have though through the delicate balancing act between expressing his own undoubted talents and instituting the guidance, control and key decision-making that the Blues so desperately need to take that step back into the top tier of this competition.
‘‘As a 10 you have to take control, and that’s the big work-on for me. My communication and getting messages across to key people at certain times is something I’m striving to get better at. But it’s also about just playing my game.
‘‘The more I focus on what the outside noise is coming from out of our environment, the less it does for me. The best I can do is focus on what I do and trust my process.’’
Perofeta’s dazzling display against the Lions last year was certainly a positive indicator he might just be ready to pick this thing up and run with it.
‘‘I looked at it like I was a nobody and I was playing against a 50-cap international, so I just thought I have nothing to lose. I didn’t feel like I had heaps on my shoulders, and I told myself just to back what I do, be confident and hopefully things will work out. I think it went all right.’’
His big takeaway from special night at Eden Park?
‘‘Just winning the critical moments, and if you need to take some time to slow things down and do the simple things right, then do it. Once you try to be all fancy, that’s when things fall apart. So it’s just doing the basics right and winning those little moments that are so important.’’
You then ask Perofeta about that nickname, and his response indicates he just might be up to the challenge of living up to it.
‘‘I’ve got to keep that hype and outside noise to the side, and can’t get ahead of myself. I can only focus on what I can control, and that’s doing what I can to contribute to the team.’’ that