Beauden Barrett: 'It was clear I wasn't up the pecking order'

146-Test All Blacks playmaker Beauden Barrett has offered insight into conversations Dave Rennie and the coaching staff had with him during Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, where Barrett was given limited opportunities.

Barrett featured for only 15 minutes in the four-Test series against the back-to-back World Champions, the Springboks, coming off the bench and scoring a try in the All Blacks’ 43-28 defeat in Baltimore.

But the Blues first-five was thrust into the starting fullback role last week in Auckland, after Richie Mo’unga went down at training on Tuesday ahead of the first Bledisloe Cup Test at Eden Park.

Mo’unga’s injury shifted Damian McKenzie to No.10, allowing Barrett to get his first start under Rennie in 2026.

The experienced playmaker was continuously praised by Rennie and the coaching staff for his impressive form in training, keeping the All Blacks playmakers on their toes across the eight Test matches so far in 2026.

And when Barrett got his opportunity at the All Blacks’ storied fortress, he played a solid and effective hand.

Speaking from the All Blacks’ Sydney hotel, Barrett said he would be lying if his stint on the sidelines hadn’t affected his confidence.

“Yeah, it did challenge me mentally a little bit, not being selected and just feeling a little bit off the pace when you’re in the 23 or the 15, you’re in the thick of it,” Barrett explained.

“You feel that flow, the connections, the combinations, and all of that. So getting back in, obviously, it’s a matter of reps and building through the week and really trusting that process.

“That’s where a lot of confidence comes from. So, yeah, I’d be lying if I said that it hasn’t affected me. But the important thing is just being able to bounce back, focus on what I do well, and be consistent whether I’m selected or not; it’s about turning up for the team, and at the end of the day, it’s about the All Blacks winning.

“So if I’m contributing outside the 23 or within it, that’s my role on the team.”

Despite being one of the more talked-about All Blacks in 2026, Barrett made it clear the messages from Rennie and the All Blacks coaching staff have been consistent and clear.

“Yeah, I’m aware that you’re asking Dave the same thing, and it’s consistent. He was telling me that he’s liking how I’m training.

“He’s happy with my contribution, and it was clear that I wasn’t up the pecking order, so I had to really work for it or wait for my opportunity. So the good thing is, we’re both honest with one another.

“We know where we stand, and yeah, there are no mixed messages.”