Beauden Barrett is showing what he can do without the Horror-canes pack
There was a period there where it felt as if every Hurricanes season culminated in a clash with the Crusaders.
Inevitably two things would happen.
First, the Crusaders would decimate the Hurricanes up front, en route to an emphatic victory.
And, second, a fair chunk of the rugby reporting and watching public would opine that Beauden Barrett wasn’t up to it.
That he couldn’t manage a game, couldn’t rise to the big occasion and couldn’t be trusted to guide the All Blacks to victory in a test match of consequence.
At some point these misgivings would be put to then-national coach Steve Hansen, who would let out an enormous sigh and mumble something about how Barrett might look if he was playing behind the Crusaders’ pack, rather than the Hurricanes.
It was hard not to recall Hansen’s words as we watched Barrett turn the tables on the Crusaders in Christchurch last Saturday night.
We’ve probably all chucked our two bobs’ worth in on Barrett’s move to the Blues.
Should he have stayed a Hurricane for life? Could he have commuted down from Auckland, as Daniel Carter once did to remain a Crusader? Was he letting his wife dictate his rugby career?
What we didn’t tend to do, was wonder aloud about how good Barrett might look behind a decent forward pack.
The Blues are not the finished article. Beyond Barrett, their backline doesn’t instil great confidence.
But when you’re playing off the kind of platform being laid by the Blues’ forwards at the moment, then it’s easy to look a competent player.
Barrett, though, looks more than competent. He looks commanding.
Given time and options, few players possess his vision and ability to execute. With goalkicking returning to the arsenal in Christchurch, Barrett was once again the complete first five-eighth.
We got things badly wrong three or four years back.
We took Barrett, at that time probably the best player on the planet, and stuffed him around.
We took goalkicking off him, shunted him to fullback and generally undermined the confidence of the most gifted footballer of his generation.
And for what?
Were the All Blacks any better? Did they win any more games? Did they waltz their way to the 2019 Rugby World Cup title?
We can’t repeat the mistakes of the past now.
There’s no Barrett v Richie Mo’unga debate. There’s Barrett as the undisputed starter at 10 and then those that back him up when required.
Stuff contestability or keeping incumbents honest. This is a time for certainty and, if Super Rugby Pacific has taught us anything, it’s that Barrett is certainly the best first five-eighth in the country.
Playing behind a good pack helps as, no doubt, not getting TJ Perenara’s inconsistent service is probably a blessing too.
But as we approach next year’s World Cup and survey an All Blacks squad in which plenty of spots appear up for grabs, let’s not make No.10 one of them.
Let’s declare that, without reservation or qualification, the All Blacks will be Barrett’s team and that he will be taking ownership for the results from first five-eighth.
You can’t put 10s on the hot seat. You can’t have them looking over their shoulder at who might replace them next week.
You have to tell them they’re in charge and give them the confidence to succeed.
I doubted Barrett would earn that right again. Having been mucked about, I wondered if he’d make a permanent move overseas.
I mean, it’s not that long ago that Otere Black was the Blues’ starting 10, for heaven’s sake. Imagine the indignity for Barrett of playing second fiddle to him.
Thankfully those days are over and, with it, Barrett’s wasted years playing as an additional playmaker from fullback.
All we need now is an All Blacks’ pack to do Beauden Barrett’s talents justice.
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments