{{Short description|New Zealand international rugby league footballer and referee}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Henry Perenara |image = Henry Perenara.jpg |image_size = 100px |fullname = Henry Edward Peranara |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|06|16|df=yes}} |birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand |height = {{convert|186|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|100|kg|stlb|0|abbr=on}} |position = {{rlp|LK|SR}} |club1 = {{nowrap|New Zealand Warriors}} |year1start = 2000 |year1end = |appearances1 = 3 |tries1 = 0 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 0 |club2 = Melbourne Storm |year2start = 2001 |year2end = 02 |appearances2 = 33 |tries2 = 8 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 32 |club3 = St. George Illawarra |year3start = 2003 |year3end = 04 |appearances3 = 16 |tries3 = 1 |goals3 = 0 |fieldgoals3 = 0 |points3 = 4 |club4 = Parramatta Eels |year4start = 2005 |year4end = 06 |appearances4 = 11 |tries4 = 1 |goals4 = 0 |fieldgoals4 = 0 |points4 = 4 |club5 = Cronulla Sharks |year5start = 2007 |year5end = |appearances5 = 9 |tries5 = 2 |goals5 = 0 |fieldgoals5 = 0 |points5 = 8 |teamA = New Zealand Māori |yearAstart = 1999 |yearAend = 00 |appearancesA = 2 |triesA = 0 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 0 |teamB = New Zealand |yearBstart = 2001 |yearBend = |appearancesB = 1 |triesB = 0 |goalsB = 0 |fieldgoalsB = 0 |pointsB = 0 |refereecomp1 = National Rugby League |refereeyear1start = 2011 |refereeyear1end = 21 |refereeappearances1 = 127 |refereecomp2 = Four Nations |refereeyear2start = 2011 |refereeyear2end = 14 |refereeappearances2 = 3 |refereecomp3 = Rugby League World Cup |refereeyear3start = 2013 |refereeyear3end = |refereeappearances3 = 5 |source = <ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/henry-perenara/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref><ref name="Referee Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/referees/henry-perenara/summary.html|title=Referee Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref> |updated = | module = {{infobox person | embed = yes | father = | mother = | spouse = | education = Lynfield College | alma_mater = | relatives = Marcus Perenara (brother)<br>Sonny Bill Williams (cousin)<br>Niall Guthrie (cousin)<br>TJ Perenara (cousin) }} }}

'''Henry Edward Perenara''' (born 16 June 1980) is a New Zealand rugby league former referee and professional footballer who represented New Zealand. He played as a {{rlp|lk}}, though he could also play in the {{rlp|sr}}. He is also the first NRL referee in history to send off a player for an alleged bite, he sent Kevin Proctor off in the Round 14 match of 2020, when Cronulla-Sutherland played against the Gold Coast.<ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org"/><ref name="Referee Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org"/>

==Background== Perenara was born in Auckland, New Zealand.

He is a brother of Marcus Perenara and is a cousin of Sonny Bill Williams, and Hurricanes and All Blacks halfback TJ Perenara.

==Early years== Attending Lynfield College, Perenara played for the New Lynn Stags and Bay Roskill Vikings and represented the New Zealand Secondary Schools team in 1998.<ref name=jnrkiwis>''New Zealand Rugby League Annual '98'', New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1998. p.181</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100523170735/http://aucklandleague.co.nz/display_page.asp?item=359 Bay Roskill Rugby League Inc] ''aucklandleague.co.nz''</ref>

==Playing career== In 1999, while under contract to the Warriors, Perenara played for Auckland North in the National Provincial Competition.<ref name=hoppe>{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=3727|title=Rugby League: Injury gives Hoppe a starting chance|author=Jessup, Peter|date=16 March 1999|work=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=3 October 2011}}</ref> He was part of the Glenora Bears side that dominated the Auckland Rugby League competition that year, winning the Roope Rooster, Ruataki Shield and Fox Memorial.<ref name=jk>[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-17329513.html Junior Kiwi enjoys life in fast lane]{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} ''Sunday Star-Times'', 19 September 1999</ref>

Perenara played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, St. George Illawarra Dragons, Melbourne Storm, Auckland Warriors and Parramatta in the National Rugby League competition.

==Referee career== Perenara retired as a player in 2007 to join the National Rugby League's referee cadet programme.<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Perenara-quits-to-become-a-referee/2007/10/03/1191091175192.html Perenara quits to become a referee] ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 3 October 2007</ref> He made his first grade referee debut in 2011.

He was to make his Test debut on 6 October however the scheduled Test between the New Zealand national rugby league team and the Cook Islands was cancelled.<ref name="Stuff.co.nz_5579818">{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/rugby-league/5579818/Perenara-to-make-international-refereeing-debut|title=Perenara to make international refereeing debut|date=7 September 2011|work=The Press|access-date=3 October 2011}}</ref> Instead, Perenara's Test debut came on 29 October 2011 when he controlled the Four Nations match between England and Wales. He was named the 2011 New Zealand Rugby League's referee of the year.<ref>[http://www.rleague.com/content/article.php?id=41639 Perenara's refereeing career given another boost] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105095923/http://www.rleague.com/content/article.php?id=41639 |date=5 November 2011}} ''rleague.com'', 2 November 2011</ref> He is one of only four New Zealanders to play for New Zealand and referee a test match.<ref>[http://www.nzrl.co.nz/media/63553/in%20touch%20nov%20dec%202011.pdf In Touch] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150114025947/http://www.nzrl.co.nz/media/63553/in%20touch%20nov%20dec%202011.pdf |date=14 January 2015}} ''New Zealand Rugby League'', December 2011</ref>

In mid April 2021 Perenara retired at the age of 41 due to a heart condition. Perenara revealed to the Daily Telegraph he had been diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia, an abnormally fast heartbeat that causes shortness of breath, dizziness sweating or fainting.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2021-news-updates-henry-perena-retires-heart-condition-referee-heart-beat-reaction/news-story/923d4026cadc2eabcaf898b945e9fbd4|title='I nearly blacked out': NRL referee Henry Perenara retires due to heart condition|date=25 April 2021}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== *[http://www.parraeels.com.au/teaminfo/playerprofile.asp?id=25 Henry Perenara Official Player Profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928022856/http://www.parraeels.com.au/teaminfo/playerprofile.asp?id=25 |date=28 September 2011 }} *[http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/4/playerid/273/seasonid/3/default.aspx NRL player profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821012242/http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/4/playerid/273/seasonid/3/default.aspx |date=21 August 2016 }} {{New Zealand Maori squad 2000 Rugby League World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perenara, Henry}} Category:1980 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century New Zealand sportsmen Category:Auckland rugby league team players Category:Bay Roskill Vikings players Category:Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks players Category:Glenora Bears players Category:Melbourne Storm players Category:National Rugby League referees Category:New Lynn Stags players Category:New Zealand rugby league players Category:New Zealand rugby league referees Category:New Zealand Māori rugby league players Category:New Zealand Māori rugby league team players Category:New Zealand national rugby league team players Category:New Zealand Warriors players Category:Parramatta Eels players Category:People educated at Lynfield College Category:Junior Kiwis players Category:Rugby league five-eighths Category:Rugby league locks Category:Rugby league players from Auckland Category:Rugby League World Cup referees

Category:St. George Illawarra Dragons players