'He fits that mould': Former All Black backs ex-captain to reclaim starting spot

With only two weeks to go until the Wallabies travel to New Zealand for the Bledisloe Cup series, former All Blacks captain Scott Barrett is racing the clock to be named in Dave Rennie’s 34-man squad.

Barrett hasn’t featured for the All Blacks since last year’s end-of-year tour, taking nearly a full season off Super Rugby Pacific on a non-playing sabbatical.

His return was scheduled before the start of the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs with the Crusaders, but a back injury ruined any chance of pulling on the red-and-black shirt in 2026.

The former captain is yet to take the field in 2026, but has been in training with Taranaki for several weeks as a return to play nears.

Whether or not Barrett laces up for Taranaki against Hawke’s Bay on Sunday afternoon is yet to be seen, but Rennie expects the 89-Test veteran to be available for Saturday, October 10, against the Wallabies at Eden Park.

On Sky Sports’ The Breakdown, former All Blacks Jeff Wilson and Mils Muliaina discussed where Barrett may fit in going forward.

“I like him. I think he does [come straight back in]. I mean, his experience, but also his physicality,” Muliaina explained.

“I think he just adds to that side. Who misses out? Well, we’ve got a few injured at the moment; do we actually need to sort of pull anyone out? You probably just walk straight in there.

“But his ability also to play six and four. He’ll be determined to come back. I think the other side of that, we’ve sort of focused on his ability as a captain; sometimes you need to put that aside, and you forget his ability as a player himself.

“He brings that physicality. He’s tall, but he’s also he can play both positions. For me, he’s definitely back in the squad. Does he go back into starting straight away? I’m not sure.”

Ex-Springboks halfback Kevin Putt has question marks about the possible make-up of locks if Barrett returns.

“No, I agree with Mils. But I don’t think you can drop someone out yet. I think Fabian Holland’s definite to keep in there. I think he’s one of the boys for the future who’s doing exceptionally well,” Putt said on his first appearance on The Breakdown.

“I always get worried about the injury list. We seem to be losing locks over the most recent times, and again, we look back at what we just spoke about. That management of game time is essential. Barrett’s an 80-minute player. That’s the reason we need him back.

Wilson agrees with Muliaina and Putt, but sees a different role for Barrett than some may expect.

“I look at Scott Barrett, and I go, I’d like to get him a couple of games for Taranaki, get him through that. Whether they can fight themselves into the playoff picture, I’m not sure, because that’ll be important if he gets more rugby.

“But I trust that they brought him straight back, and I have no doubts he’d do a job.

“It’s just whether or not they’ve gone with Tupou Vaa’I as this option at six because Scott Barrett, then to me, fits that mould. If he’s fit and healthy and he can play that role, all of a sudden that gives us some flexibility around our locking position.

“But Tuipolotu, Lord, Darry, Vaa’i, and Holland. We’ve got a nice group; I know some guys have picked up some niggles, but for me, I’m not sure we need to maybe take a Patrick Tuipolotu on an end-of-year tour.

“If we’re trying to stretch him [Tuipulotu] out towards a Rugby World Cup, maybe he’s the guy that Scott Barrett comes into it for. But for me, you know, I would love to see him involved with the All Blacks. He was someone who would have fit the bill.”