Beauden Barrett's Blues debut will prove he is, far and away, the country's best first five-eighth
Beauden Barrett’s Blues debut can’t come soon enough.
Scheduled for June 14, against the Hurricanes of all people, it promises to be the rugby event of the season to date.
I’m not someone prone to favourites. In fact, I’ve worked hard to dislike all athletes, coaches, and administrators equally.
But some people are just so exciting, so gifted and so much better than their peers that you can’t help but love to watch them play. Beauden Barrett is that person for me.
Granted, I’m not a fan of his New Zealand Rugby (NZR) salary, nor his extended holidays.
The great and the good of world rugby rack their brains trying to work out how to engage better with their existing fans and attract new ones and the answer has always been simple; just put your best players on the park.
The notion of being paid not to play, as Barrett has this year, or to reward your highest-earners with a lucrative sabbatical, as Barrett has in his contract, is nonsense. And also a sure way to send NZR broke.
What makes more business sense is to put your best and brightest talents out on display.
Well, that day is almost at hand, with Barrett – in a nice marketing ploy – set to start for his new franchise against the old one.
Can’t wait for the likes of TJ Perenara and Dane Coles to wish Barrett a cheery welcome and then niggle him for the rest of the game.
New Zealand is blessed with many fine footballers and maybe even one or two great ones. But none is the box office talent that Barrett is and his return to action is exactly the boost Super Rugby Aotearoa needed.
It should also underline the fact Barrett is, far and away, this country’s best first five-eighth.
If I were King, he would start every All Blacks test from here until the end of his career. That doesn’t mean I’m blind to the charms of Richie Mo’unga, just that I believe Barrett is better.
I don’t want to hear about Aaron Cruden. He’s had his time – 50 tests worth in fact – and going back to him serves no purpose.
The All Blacks have a Rugby World Cup to win in three years’ time and the last one showed us how critical Barrett will be to that effort.
It’s a credit to his skill, and willingness to put-in for the team, that Barrett was able to excel from fullback. But putting he and Mo’unga on the park together never really worked and there’s no disgrace in now discarding that tactic.
Have Damian McKenzie at fullback, though, with Barrett calling the shots from 10 and the All Blacks would then have a dual playmaking threat that few, if any, teams would be able to combat.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_MBoGFAbk-/
But that’s all down the track. For now, it’s hard to see too much test rugby on the horizon.
What we do have to look forward to, though, is a bit of homegrown Super Rugby, starting with the Highlanders against the Chiefs on June 13.
As anticipated as that clash might be, by the time it rolls around, it’s not a patch on the game the next day.
Beauden Barrett playing against the Hurricanes is a truly mouth-watering prospect and one that should illustrate just what we missed while the first five-eighth had his early-season holiday.
Games are simply better for Barrett’s involvement and, such is the man’s skill and sense of occasion, that you just know he’ll put on a superb show come June 14.
Comments on RugbyPass
I've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
7 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
43 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
7 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
7 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
7 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
7 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
7 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to comments