The tantalising prospect of seeing All Black TJ Perenara in the NRL has been made to wait a little bit longer, after Perenara's Red Hurricanes advanced to the quarter-finals of Japan Top League.
Perenara scored a second-half try as the Red Hurricanes ran out 21-13 victors over Honda Heat in their round-of-16 clash in Nagoya yesterday.
They advance to play Kieran Read's Toyota Verblitz in the quarter-finals on May 8.
It means Perenara's rumoured code-hopping switch to the Sydney Roosters and the NRL will not happen anytime before then.
If the Red Hurricanes win their quarter-final, they will play the semi-final a week later, before the final is held the week after that on May 23.
Even if they do go all the way, there would still be plenty of time for the Roosters to sign Perenara. The NRL signing deadline was shifted from June 30 to August 1 last month.
The Roosters plan to use Perenara at hooker, as a replacement for the recently-retired Jake Friend.
Perenara's passing accuracy would be a huge advantage, in addition to his presence around the team having been a part of the successful All Blacks culture - similar to Sonny Bill Williams.
Tackling work behind the ruck would be the biggest hurdle for Perenara, going from handful per game to almost 50 as a hooker in rugby league.
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