Perenara tackles adage that politics and sport don't mix

Whether we like it or not, rugby and politics have found themselves entwined in New Zealand; be it the infamous Springboks tour of 1981 or the Israel Folau saga a few years ago.

For Folau, the then-Wallabies star took aim at the LGBT community, saying they were destined for hell.

Outraged and concerned for the damage those comments would have on the rainbow community, Perenara broke the reserved public profile associated with All Blacks and spoke out against Folau.

“People talk about freedom of speech and that's what a lot people said to come against what I’ve said in the past but I think anything that you say, that makes someone else be less free is not freedom of speech,” says Perenara.

“If I say something that makes you feel less free I don’t think that’s freedom of speech.”

For decades sportspeople have been cautious speaking up about political or social issues, in particular the All Blacks.

But for Perenara, who also showed his support for the Ihumātao land protests in 2019 on his strapping against the Wallabies, he disagrees with the adage that politics and sport shouldn’t mix.

“Without sounding too harsh, it’s naive and maybe even ignorant mindset, I don’t think your career path should determine what values you can speak up on.”

And while he admits he’s never spoken to Folau “face-to-face”, his door is open if with the code hopper if he wants to talk.

“I’m happy to hold that conversation,” says Perenara.

“As long as the conversation isn’t about me trying to prove you wrong or being like, man you have to believe what I believe it’s about me trying to learn why you think the way you think and me explaining why I think the way I think that way.

“If we come to the end of that conversation and we still disagree, cool, at least I’ve grown and I understand why you believe what you believe and you understand why I believe what I believe.”

Part three of this series on the All Black will air this afternoon on Te Karere.