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Blues fans want Jordie Barrett to follow Beauden

By Josh Raisey
Jordie Barrett (left) and Beauden Barrett. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

The Blues have secured one of the biggest signings in recent times by agreeing a four year deal with two-time World Player of the Year Beauden Barrett.

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This is a move that has surprised some fans, particularly Hurricanes supporters, as the Blues finished bottom of the New Zealand Super Rugby conference last season, while the Canes were arguably the second best team in the competition, losing narrowly to the champions the Crusaders in the semi-final.

However, it is down to personal reasons that he has made this move, as his family now live in Auckland.
The Blues have been the perennial underachievers in Super Rugby compared to their national rivals. The other four New Zealand sides have won the competition over the past decade, while the Blues have languished at the foot of the table. This is despite making a number of high profile signings. But there has not been one as big as this, and the excitement and expectation amongst Blues fans is rising again.

It is a long lasting joke in New Zealand that the Blues’ enter the competition with high hopes each year, only to have them dashed within a few weeks. Once again there is a lot of optimism going into the 2020 season, but that is understandable given the pedigree of the fly-half.

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Furthermore, Blues fans are hoping that this deal for Beauden will lure his brothers Jordie and Scott to Auckland as well. Fullback Jordie has played alongside Beauden at the Hurricanes all his Super Rugby career to date, while lock Scott plays for the Crusaders.

Signing either of these All Blacks would be the cherry on the cake to what is already a marvellous signing.

This is what the fans have said:

https://twitter.com/GarethJ_Roberts/status/1149431961955524611?s=20
https://twitter.com/AaronBello1234/status/1149424212102328320?s=20
https://twitter.com/fasitua/status/1149451658562113536?s=20
https://twitter.com/chrisvsbvb09/status/1149428923123433473?s=20
https://twitter.com/Kuntchi13/status/1149426814244311040?s=20
https://twitter.com/Afiqikhwann/status/1149517416331804674?s=20
https://twitter.com/FST4u/status/1149579843786252289?s=20

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Barrett is going to take an extended break after the World Cup, meaning he will miss the start of the 2020 season. Additionally, the New Zealand Rugby Union have agreed that he can take a stint in Japan at some point over the next four years. But the Blues will still undoubtedly benefit from his class whenever he plays, and the fans are filled with confidence again.

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Bull Shark 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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