Tim Perry primed, ready for NPC final
Makos prop Tim Perry hasn't always enjoyed the best of fortunes against Canterbury. He is hoping that will change on Saturday when his side takes on the Red and Blacks in the Mitre 10 Cup premiership final.
It's fair to say Tasman Makos prop Tim Perry hasn't had a great deal of luck against Canterbury.
In the 2014 national provincial championship rugby semifinal Perry literally crawled off Nelson's Trafalgar Park after rupturing his Achilles tendon, ruling him out of the premiership final in Taranaki a week later.
Last season he suffered a serious knee injury in the penultimate round robin game, also against the Red and Blacks, and in Nelson, meaning he missed the NPC semifinal and most of the ensuing Super Rugby season with the Crusaders.
Fortunately he played in, and emerged unscathed from, the Tasman v Canterbury round robin match earlier this season and, providing he survives the side's final trainings this week, will be front and centre when the Makos take their second shot at a national premiership crown at AMI Stadium on Saturday evening.
Not a man to dwell on past misfortunes, Perry shrugged off the Canterbury coincidences. "It doesn't matter now," he said, "I played them this year and it was sweet."
Now he is fully focussed on getting a result in Christchurch against a side laden with players he is familiar with from his stint at the Crusaders.
"I'm feeling confident," said the 122kg loosehead. "The team has just got better and better during the year ... really grown as a group. Everyone is really good mates now.
"There are lots of new faces but, from the start of the year, this team has been really tight. The culture is right back up there.
"As long as we can nail the detail I'm really confident we can go down there and do the job."
When the sides first met this season, in the second round, Canterbury came away comfortable 45-14 victors but Perry knows a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then.
"We are a completely different side now ... it's obviously going to be tough but we just have to work harder in a few areas, do them a bit better. I'm looking forward to the opportunity."
Perry has been part of a five-strong propping unit that has had a major influence on Tasman's surge to the final. In recent games he and tighthead Ross Geldenhuys have started, with either Siua Halanukonuka, Kane Hames or Blair Prinsep taking their places during the second half. This tactic has paid huge dividends, the Makos able to operate off a dominant scrum late in the piece.
While Perry would love to be on the field for the whole 80 minutes, he has no problem with fitting into the game plan.
"It's going well. We are all good mates. It's about whatever is working best for the team, everyone is happy with that.
"It's never nice getting pulled off the field, especially when you are starting to feel that you are getting into it, but that is just how it is ... team first."
Perry has noticed an upsurge in energy around the team as they prepare for Saturday's battle. "Today is usually the day when everyone is a wee bit slow, a few days after the last game, but there is a lot more noise and energy. The boys are definitely up for it."
On Sunday, the 28 year-old played his 50th game for the country's newest union, an achievement that almost went unnoticed in the euphoria of victory. He was presented with a blazer after the semifinal.
Now in his fifth season with Tasman, Perry was proud to reach such a milestone and proud of the province he has represented with distinction. "[Sunday] was awesome. Everyone just loves playing for this union ... we love making it succeed."
He has put his 50-match celebrations on hold though, preferring to concentrate on his 51st and telling his team mates that they can celebrate with him after Saturday's final.
