All Blacks halfback TJ Perenara is primed to make his Super Rugby comeback at last after overcoming the pre-season knee injury that has kept him on the sidelines.
Perenara has not played for the Hurricanes since 2020 having taken his talents to Japan for a season while also contemplating a potential shift to the NRL.
However, the 30-year-old eventually returned to the Hurricanes for 2022 only to damage his medial collateral ligament [MCL] in the preseason.
Luckily for Perenara, he's only missed three matches due to Covid-19 disruptions to the season but with the Hurricanes set to play Moana Pasifika on Friday and the halfback healthy, a return is finally on the cards.
"He's one of a group of guys that have been working really hard in the background to get themselves right," assistant coach Chris Gibbes said on Monday.
"It's a credit to the med-fit team and to the boys themselves, they've been really professional the way they've done it.
"It's exciting for him to be back in the group, and he's got his part to play this weekend at some point."
Perenara's return will be in a limited capacity though as he will be restricted by the All Blacks' return to play protocols for the early rounds of the Super Rugby season.
Despite the limitations, Gibbes said the Hurricanes understand they're part of a bigger picture in helping the All Blacks reclaim the Rugby World Cup next year.
"It's not so much making it easier, it's about making sure that we're all aligned with New Zealand Rugby - and we are in a lot of areas," Gibbes said.
"We've just got to do what's right for the player, that's key here. Anything we do, we've got to put that player at the centre."
The Hurricanes play Moana Pasifika at 7pm on Friday at Mt Smart Stadium.
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