Beauden Barrett on the Ireland players who were 'targets' for the All Blacks

All Blacks fullback Beauden Barrett has revealed how the haka before the All Blacks and Ireland quarter-final was used to intimidate the Irish ‘targets’ ahead of the knockout game.

Ireland were riding a 17 game winning streak into the crunch quarter-final and were riding high after beating South Africa in the pool stages 13-8.

The All Blacks had taken a vengeful mindset towards the game, intent on inflicting pain on Ireland after the 2022 series in New Zealand which saw Ireland claim a 2-1 series victory.

Barrett said the faces of the Irish players gave him visions of the 2022 series as he performed the  war dance ritual.

“Looking across at the opponent during the haka you get memories, flashbacks,” Barrett said on the All Blacks: In Their Own Words documentary, “We had a point to prove.”

When asked about who he personally was staring down during the haka, Barrett revealed the number one targets for the All Blacks.

“Johnny [Sexton],” he replied before pausing, “Peter O’Mahony… typically guys with targets on their heads.”

Johnny Sexton and Beauden Barrett have their international careers intertwined, with both players adding to the Ireland-New Zealand rivalry that has surfaced since 2016.

In 2018, Sexton stopped Barrett winning three World Player of the Year awards in a row by claiming the award, while the Irish No 10 has been influential in the famous victories over Barrett and the All Blacks.

O’Mahony had famously sledged captain Sam Cane during the New Zealand series during the win in Dunedin, calling him a “sh*t Richie McCaw”.

Jordie Barett said scoring early on Ireland helped shock the crowd who were full of 60,000 Irish supporters.

“Beaudy did one of his chip and chases, got the bounce,” he recalled.

“Had a couple of quick boys outside me, I knew it was a three-on-two.”

Barrett freed up Leicester Fainga’anuku who combined with Rieko Ioane for a 1-2 before the left wing crashed over for the opening try.

“The fact we started so well almost shut out their crowd a little bit.”

The All Blacks expected Ireland to bounce back and they did, scoring tries to Bundee Aki and Jamison Gibson-Park, two ex-pat Kiwi players.

“They were dominate for 15-20 minutes and you would feel like ‘here they come’,” Aaron Smith recalled.

“But then Will Jordan’s try happens. Bang.”

At 25-24 the All Blacks were dealt a yellow card to Codie Taylor after a penalty try to Ireland which put pressure on the side to deliver revenge.

“We were facing an uphill battle in that final 15 minutes, it was a matter of who could hang on,” Barrett.

With minutes remaining the younger Barrett had a miraculous one-on-one tackle over the line on Irish hooker Ronan Kelleher which stopped Ireland taking the lead.

“It was just a reaction, instinctive moment where I thought I should just get my body under it,” he said.

Captain Sam Cane revealed the magnitude of Barrett’s play: “The truth is if Jordie doesn’t hold that up we go home.”