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All Blacks call up veteran halfback Perenara / Photo: Marty MELVILLE - AFP/File
All Blacks call up veteran halfback Perenara
All Blacks coach Ian Foster has added veteran halfback TJ Perenara to the New Zealand squad ahead of this weekend's tour match away to Scotland.
The 30-year-old, who has played 78 Tests, has been called up from the All Blacks XV -- New Zealand's second-string team which is also on tour and beat Ireland A 47-19 in Dublin at the weekend.
For Sunday's Test against Scotland in Edinburgh, Perenara will vie with Finlay Christie and Aaron Smith, the latter of whom scored two tries in Saturday's 55-23 thumping of Wales in Cardiff.
In a pre-arranged move by Foster, Perenara replaces Brad Weber, who will link up with New Zealand's second-string team to play the Barbarians in London on Sunday.
"We're bringing TJ over to us to replace Brad -- there was a predetermined plan to give both a couple of weeks with us (in the All Blacks squad)," Foster told reporters.
Alongside Weber, winger Leicester Fainga'anuku has also left the senior New Zealand squad to join the All Blacks XV preparing to face the Barbarians.
Perenara was part of the New Zealand squad which won the 2015 Rugby World Cup title and last played for the All Blacks a year ago when he started in a defeat to Ireland in Dublin.
After playing the Scots in Edinburgh on Sunday, the All Blacks have six days before facing England at Twickenham in their final tour match.
B.Nagel--BlnAP
