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'Hugely revitalising': Former All Black excited by Jordie Barrett's Leinster stint

Jordie Barrett of Leinster celebrates after scoring his side's third try during the Champions Cup Round 1 match between Bristol Bears and Leinster at Ashton Gate in Bristol, England. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

While most All Blacks are hitting the beaches, on the boat fishing, and enjoying some quiet time before the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season kicks off, Jordie Barrett is in the midst of a United Rugby Championship season for Irish heavyweights Leinster.

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The 27-year-old has enjoyed some early success in his first few appearances for the side, scoring on his debut off the bench against Bristol.

Barrett, who will miss Super Rugby Pacific with the Hurricanes, will be available for Scott Robertson in July when France come to New Zealand. 

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Former All Black and current Sky Sports commentator Justin Marshall believes Barrett will gain valuable playing time and experience in Ireland.

“It’ll be hugely revitalising for him. He’ll be learning new skills, no doubt about it, defensively, he’ll be defending in a different way,” Marshall said on the DSPN Sports Podcast with Martin Devlin.

“He will be experiencing something he’s never had in his rugby career. He’ll be really refreshed by it.”

Barrett has lots of international talent and quality around him at Leinster. Tadhg Furlong, Jamison Gibson-Park, Caelan Doris, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe, RG Snyman, and Josh van der Flier are all part of a glittering squad.

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Marshall is confident Barrett will improve overseas.

“I think we will get a much better Jordie Barrett for it,” he said.

“The fact he’s putting a different jersey on in a different environment, in a different country, with a different crowd and teammates that he’s never played with before.

“There’ll be a different mindset in how they use their twelves over there. So he will get a massive opportunity to look at the game from a different perspective. I think that’s healthy.”

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins
1
Draws
1
Wins
3
Average Points scored
19
23
First try wins
80%
Home team wins
80%

When players move overseas, there’s often a question mark regarding how they are going to fit back into the All Blacks system. 

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Barrett is available for most of the All Blacks’ 2025 campaign, but having played a lot of rugby in 2024 and early this year, Marshall hopes his load will be managed.

“And then hopefully he gets to slide back into the New Zealand system, not feeling tired, but feeling really enthusiastic about what he can bring in terms of the development of this game like he could become a much better player for what he’s experiencing, and as long as he’s looked after, which I’m sure he will be.”


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Comments

5 Comments
R
RedWarrior 86 days ago

Have to agree with this. Defensively Leinster are now the best club team in the world. Barrett is getting Nienabers system in full. He is also seeing the Irish attack. He will face the continents top teams. La Rochelle this weekend. The best of English rugby and most likely Leinster will face off against Toulouse at some point in the latter stages or the ERC. That is some whack of IP and new experience for a 6 months stint.

I attended the Leinster Connaught game. It was 13 players rested except for Snyman and Barrett. With Leinster on 14 men, only 5 ahead and with waves after wave of Connaught attack a try was looking inevitable, until Barrett read the play and sacked a Connaught player, Leinster winning a turnover within 2 phases. Leinster are getting their money's worth also.

He is also overruled Leinster's debate about corner v 3 points to finally take the points and put the game beyond Connaught's reach.

E
Easy_Duzz-it 86 days ago

He was meant to be the next full back for the All Blacks and he would of been . But mounga made Beauden look like a bum so many times , he took his jersey . Forcing a re-shuffle …


To think we had laumpe with the speed and power . But they got rid of him just to make room for Jordie . Can’t think of one season I’ve seen Jordie play centre and said wow … 🤦‍♂️

T
Tk 85 days ago

Laumape was one that got away, for sure. I just can't see our current 10, 12, 13 axis winning RWC-27 and feel that Jordie probably has more to offer at 15 or on the bench covering 10-15 and allowing a 6/2 split.

H
Head high tackle 87 days ago

I dont see it like you do sorry Marshall. He's had something like 9 different coaches just at domestic level in NZ plus a few Test coaches. All he will learn is to know some of the Ireland sides players better than when he started. Just making life-long friends around the world.

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Tom 37 minutes ago
No definites, but which Wales players could still make Lions squad?

Williams, Faletau, Lake, Morgan are the only ones who have a chance. None of them are guaranteed but I'd imagine they'll pick Williams and Morgan who could get in on merit and will likely be favoured for inclusivity.


Williams is fighting it out with Ben White for 3rd slot behind JGP and Mitchell.

Morgan is up against JVDF, Earl, Curry, Curry, Willis for 4 flanker slots. Morgan is a fantastic player but a huge call to leave any of those boys at home given how much Wales struggled at the breakdown against England. He's by no means solely responsible for that but it will be fresh in the minds of the selectors. Given the amount of hybrid players emerging and the inclination for a 6-2 split, they may be able to find room for a 5th flanker in the squad. In which case may be Ben Curry who misses out or Willis might be excluded given we have such depth in the players who have chosen to play for clubs this side of the channel.


Lake and Faletau are good enough but I'd be surprised if Faletau gets picked over Conan and Lake would be up against Cowan-Dickie which I can't see happening. Blair Murray is probably 4th in the 15 pecking order behind Kinghorn, Heenan, Marcus Smith. He may be a better 15 than Smith but Smith brings versatility so would be ahead of him. Since Smith may go on tour as a 10/15 hybrid, they would already have 3 fullbacks in the squad so Murray won't make it, good player though.


Nicky Smith and Dafydd Jenkins clutching at straws.

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