TJ Perenara scores 80-metre match winning try in the Top League

All Black scrumhalf TJ Perenara has been in excellent form for his Top League side Red Hurricanes so far this season scoring 4 tries in the opening three games.

His most recent try secured a hattrick of victories as they edged Ricoh Black Rams 22-17 on Saturday.

With the Hurricanes camped just outside their 22, Perenara threw a great skip pass out to Springbok winger Makazole Mapimpi - who was making his Top League debut. Mapimpi found former Gloucester fullback Tom Marshall in support with Marshall drawing a defender in before sending Perenara away for the match-winner.

It’s some finish from Tj 🔥 pic.twitter.com/zQhQ474hC4

— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) March 6, 2021

Mapimpi also notched up his first try of the season in the 42nd minute of the game as he ran a nice support line off of Paea Mifiposeti.

🔥 @Tj_Perenara, @Makazole16 and @tojo1632 link up brilliantly for the match-winning score for @RedHurricanes pic.twitter.com/uUOYr2zqkn

— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) March 6, 2021

The Red Hurricanes were slow out the blocks with Amato Fatava scoring for Ricoh in the 20th minute and it look the Hurricanes going down a man to respond with Masaki Kobayashi scoring an intercept try from just outside his own 22.

Tries from the two South Africans, Mapimpi and Franco Marais, gave the Hurricanes a 17-5 lead after an hour of action but Ricoh hit back through tries from Amanaki Lotoahea and Toshiya Takahashi to set up a tense finish with the scores level 17 apiece before Perenara sealed the result.