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Blues can't rely on Beauden Barrett to save their blushes in 2020
Beauden Barrett’s signing with the Blues for 2020 and beyond has been hailed as a huge coup for a franchise that has underperformed for the better part of the last two decades.
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Barrett, equally as comfortable at first five or fullback, was one of the All Blacks’s most valuable players in their World Cup campaign last year and is a huge loss for his old franchise, the Hurricanes.
The marquee signing shows that there’s still life in the Blues left. The run of bad form isn’t enough to completely deter players heading to Auckland – providing that there are enough other incentives on the table.
All that being said, Barrett’s signing isn’t quite as straightforward as those made in the past.
As part of Barrett’s new contract, the playmaker will take an extended break from rugby and won’t appear for the Blues until mid-April.
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Further, Barrett has the option of taking a separate sabbatical at a later date.
Those two clauses could result in the former World Rugby Player of the Year turning out for the Blues for just two-and-a-half seasons of his four-year contract.
That aside, it’s still a major boon for the Blues, who will have at their disposal one of the best players in the country.
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Barrett’s addition means the Blues certainly won’t be lacking first five options next year.
Already on their books were Otere Black, Harry Plummer and Stephen Perofeta – although injury kept Perofeta off the park in 2019.
Along with Barrett, 20-year-old Jack Heighton has signed on with the Blues despite not yet suiting up for his local North Harbour province in the Mitre 10 Cup.
All-in-all, there’s a logjam of potential at 10 but not a whole lot of proven talent for when Barrett is unavailable.
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Perofeta was long seen as the man who could one day lead the Blues to a Super Rugby title but persistent injuries have hampered his growth. With Black and Plummer both making a good fist of first five in 2019, Perofeta may find his best opportunity for game time at the back of the play in the 15 jersey.
Beauden Barrett will kickstart a new era for the Blues as Rieko Ioane looks to re-establish his credentials in a new position.https://t.co/6ZAB1BvrMg
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 12, 2019
Matt Duffie is the only surviving outside back from last year’s Blues squad, with Melani Nanai heading to England, Michael Collins transferring to the Blues, Caleb Clarke suiting up with the All Blacks Sevens and Jordan Trainor deemed surplus to requirements.
Rieko Ioane is still in the squad, of course, but he’s been named as a midfielder first and foremost.
The absence of experience in the back three gives Perofeta a great shot at making the fullback position his own and would allow the Taranaki product to find the confidence that made him such a promising up-and-comer in the first place.
That leaves Black and Plummer to duke it out for the 10 jersey for another year.
At just 24 and 21 years of age, respectively, there’s ample time for the two to develop into excellent first fives, but that won’t be of much use to the Blues if the pair can’t produce results in 2020.
The Blues have gone eight years without a playoffs appearance, with their best place finish in that timeframe coming in 2017 when they ended the season as 9th on the ladder.
Barrett could find his new team is already well off the pace for a spot in the finals when he makes his first appearance for the year – which will dull the impact of the star signing’s pull-power from the fans’ point of view.
Regardless, the new recruit will likely find himself operating from the fullback jersey, with his minimal time with the squad unlikely to prepare him for operating a completely new team, after being thrown into the thick of things in the middle of the season.
It’s going to be a disjointed year for the Blues in 2020, with Beauden Barrett’s eventual presence likely to create very obvious ‘before’ and ‘after’ periods for the season. Will the All Blacks be able to help guide Super Rugby’s underperformers to a first finals appearance since 2011? Only time will tell.
WATCH: Beauden Barrett spoke of the year ahead at the 2019 New Zealand Rugby 7s talent show.
Comments on RugbyPass
Absolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
5 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
4 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
5 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to comments