All Blacks: Perenara has bid as top dog

TJ Perenara will seek to give his outside backs one-on-one chances against their Argentine opponents. Photo / Getty Images

Hansen tells halfback to concentrate on his own strengths, rather than try to emulate Smith.

As TJ Perenara seeks to cement himself as the All Blacks' second-best halfback behind Aaron Smith, coach Steve Hansen has recommended he not try to measure up to the Highlanders' No 9.

Smith might be the best halfback in New Zealand at the moment - probably the world, in fact - but Hansen said it would be dangerous for his rivals within the All Blacks to dwell on that.

"I think it's probably tough for every halfback isn't it? But that's probably the reality, so get over it," Hansen said. "He's his own man and he needs to be his own man - he doesn't need to copy Aaron Smith, he just needs to go out and play the way he plays. He's been playing very well and he should have a lot of confidence. He just needs to bring that confidence to our style."

Perenara is a different player to Smith or any other halfback in the All Black environment. The Hurricane, who scored 11 tries this season, has his own skillset and while his kicking and passing game might not measure up to Smith's, Perenara's running game and defence are two points of difference. As his strike rate attests, his clever running lines and ability to back up often result in tries.

Like most areas within this All Blacks team, halfback is an area of depth.

Tawera Kerr-Barlow - with the New Zealand Maori team as he comes back from a serious knee injury - is also in the frame, as is Andy Ellis, on the reserves' bench for tomorrow's test against Argentina, after starting last week against Manu Samoa.

Chiefs halfback Brad Weber, who did well off the bench in Apia, is also on the horizon.

As the countdown to the World Cup begins in earnest with test one of the Rugby Championship, the importance of building that depth and competition is obvious.

Hansen said of his wishlist for Perenara at AMI Stadium: "I want him to be able to clear ball quickly and be able to link between the forwards and backs. His kicking game is important to us. He has an area there that he is working on, speeding up the ball to foot, so seeing those sorts of things from him will be good.

"It's a good opportunity for him to come out and be the top dog, rather than coming on from the bench."

Perenara, who credited his Hurricanes teammates for creating most of his try-scoring chances, said he was eager to carry that offensive threat into his first test of the year. "If there's an opportunity to take a good running line I will take that.

"Like the Hurricanes team, in this team there are some very, very good backs who can beat players one-on-one. If there's not an opportunity you just have to do your role well. There's no point in forcing anything or overdoing things."