He is also distantly related to All Black teammate, Sonny Bill Williams, as well as Samoan international rugby player, Tim Nanai-Williams.

[3] Perenara scored a hat trick of tries on his Super Rugby debut in a 46–19 victory against the Western Force in Perth on 10 March 2012.

After finishing the 2014 Super Rugby season with five tries, he made his All Blacks debut in the first test against England in 2014, along with centre Malakai Fekitoa.

He was named in New Zealand's ultimately victorious 2015 Rugby World Cup squad, playing in two matches, including a start against Namibia.

Perenara was initially left out of New Zealand's All Blacks squad in 2016, but was called up as injury cover for Tawera Kerr-Barlow.

Towards the end of 2016 Perenara was established as New Zealand's first choice halfback, upon Aaron Smith's decline in performance after his return to the international field.

Perenara became the highest try scorer of all halfbacks in Super Rugby history in 2017 where he scored his 44th try and seventh of the 2017 season in the semifinal loss to the Lions in Johannesburg.

Despite an outstanding Super Rugby campaign, Perenara went back to being the second choice halfback with Aaron Smith returning to better form.

Smith started as halfback in all three tests against the British & Irish Lions in 2017, with Perenara coming off the bench as a reserve in those three matches.

Perenara was expected to take over as Hurricanes captain for 2018, with Dane Coles ruled out for the season, due to a torn ACL, sustained against France in 2017.

Perenara was named Man of the Match, although his performance was not perfect, as he missed a tackle on Ramiro Moyano, leading to Argentina scoring the opening try.

[9][10] The fixture saw Perenara play for 66 minutes until being replaced by Aaron Smith, the All Black debut of Angus Ta'avao and their third consecutive win of the Rugby Championship competition.

Aaron Smith's fading form saw Perenara begin his 2018 end-of-year tour with a start in the third Bledisloe Cup test, against Australia, in a 37-20 win.

He scored the opening try against Italy off a pass from winger, Jordie Barrett, before being replaced by Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, in the 51st minute of the test, which ended the season in a 66-3 victory.

Losing that game 30-26 in Christchurch, Perenara would demonstrate that a late interference by Sam Whitelock would influence his team ending the 'Canes 2019 season run.

[13] In response to Israel Folau's controversial comments on same-sex marriage, Perenara tweeted in support of the rainbow community.

[15][16] In 2024 he gave public support to the women's Hurricanes side, the Poua, which performed pre match haka that were critical of the National-led coalition government.

It talked about how much agricultural farming accounts for pollution in the world and I was like man, I can't really say I care about it if I eat meat.