Beauden Barrett's agony in deciding to leave Hurricanes for Blues
By Patrick McKendry, NZ Herald
Once Beauden Barrett decided that he wanted to live full-time in Auckland with wife Hannah, who lives and works in the city, the decision to leave the Hurricanes for the Blues became more straightforward, but that didn’t make it any easier.
In fact, after beginning talks with the Blues about six weeks ago, he agonised on his decision and had many conversations, including with his dad, Kevin, or “Smiley”, as the former Hurricanes loose forward is more commonly known.
The All Blacks No 10 has been at the Hurricanes for eight years – 125 games – and was a big part of their maiden Super Rugby championship win in 2016, but after agreeing to re-commit to New Zealand Rugby for another four years, commuting to Wellington for that long was out of the question.
“It wasn’t an easy call at all,” Barrett, 28, said. “It’s been a tough two months while trying to do my best and focus on the Hurricanes during the recent competition. In the back of your mind there’s always these contractual things you have to deal with. You try to put that aside when it comes to training and playing.”
The Herald revealed four weeks ago that the Blues were in serious talks to lure Barrett north to fill what for them has been a problem position since the departure of Carlos Spencer 14 years ago.
That they have managed to do so is a huge boost because once Barrett has a break after the World Cup and is available mid-way through the 2020 Super Rugby season, he will provide sorely-needed quality and direction in the No 10 jersey. The two-time world player of the year could also help convince others to join him at a franchise that last won a title in 2003 and finished 13th this year.
Significantly, Barrett’s brother Jordie is also off contract this year. It’s understood the Blues have put in an offer to take him, too, but the Highlanders are also in the market as they seek to fill the departure of Ben Smith.
Barrett said of Jordie: “He’s going through his contractual stuff at the moment. I’m not too sure where that’s at. He’ll make a call when he’s ready.”
In an interview with Newstalk ZB, Smiley Barrett said: “Jordie has a tough decision to make too. That was why he moved to the Hurricanes, to play with Beauden, so he has a tough couple of weeks ahead of him.”
Should Jordie move to the Blues too, the Hurricanes’ displeasure can only be imagined because their media statement on Beauden’s departure made clear their disappointment and behind the scenes there is a frustration that NZ Rugby smoothed the way a little too much for Beauden to leave.
Beauden said he had received offers from overseas clubs at the start of the year, but felt he still had much to offer in New Zealand and that is music to the ears of All Blacks coach Steve Hansen.
“It was a big decision for him to leave the Hurricanes, no doubt about that,” Hansen said. “It was one that I would suggest he spent a lot of sleepless nights over because he’s a loyal guy and a lot of people might challenge that loyalty but he has to do what’s right for him and his family and I think that’s what he’s done.”
Barrett said he hoped Hurricanes’ fans would understand why he is leaving. “I grew up dreaming of being a Hurricane and I’m so proud of playing the number of games I have for them. Circumstances change, people grow older and move on to different jobs … hopefully a lot of the Canes fans will understand the big picture.”
As for potentially facing the Hurricanes next year, he said: “That will be an interesting one. There will be plenty of banter. The boys are already talking about what they’re going to do and so on. So is [Blues wing] Rieko [Ioane] and a few of the others. We’ll worry about that when we come to it, but it will probably be a bit emotional.”
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.
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Comments on RugbyPass
An on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks 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?
11 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.
11 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 comments