Former All Blacks halfback and World Cup winner TJ Perenara may switch to rugby league.

Perenara is considering a shock move to join the Sydney Roosters.

TVNZ 1 NEWS reports the news comes after much speculation that New Zealand Rugby is not open to signing the former Hurricanes halfback following his current stint in the Japanese Top League.

The 29 year old’s agent Warren Adcock confirmed the Roosters reached out to him.

According to 1 NEWS, Perenara’s father, Thomas, was a Junior Kiwi and played alongside Kiwis great Kevin Iro. His first cousin, Henry, is an NRL referee.

As a 15-year-old, Perenara once travelled to Melbourne with a group of Wellington teenagers, led by former Kiwis hardman John Lomax. He was offered a contract with the Storm but did not sign.

It is understood the Roosters would look to play Perenara at hooker, a position they are desperate to fill following the recent retirement of Origin rake Jake Friend.

The Japanese Top League season will end next month and the deadline for NRL teams to add new players to their rosters in 2021 falls in the first week of August.