'He's the form 15': Ian Foster opens up on All Blacks selection shocks over dual playmakers and Jordie Barrett
It would be fair to say All Blacks head coach Ian Foster raised more than a few eyebrows when he named his first team of the year on Friday.
Although the majority of the starting XV to face the Wallabies in Wellington this weekend picked itself, the retention of Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett as on-field playmaking partners is something few would have foreseen.
Most anticipated the pair to fight for the No. 10 jersey given how Mo’unga flourished there for the Crusaders in Super Rugby Aotearoa and Barrett publicly admitted it is his preferred role while with the Blues.
Add to that the failed World Cup campaign, whereby the use of Mo’unga at first-five and Barrett at fullback came under heavy criticism, as well as Foster’s comments in the wake of last month’s squad announcement that the duo were in direct competition for the No. 10 spot.
All of that compounded to give the perception that the dual playmaking axis was a game plan that had been put to rest.
Think again.
Barrett has found himself back in the No. 15 jersey to work in tandem with fellow playmaker Mo’unga, who has won the nod at No. 10, for the opening Bledisloe Cup clash of 2020.
Despite his side’s unsuccessful quest for a hat-trick of World Cups in Japan last year, Foster is adamant that nothing has changed his train of thought around fielding two of his best players on the park simultaneously.
“I wanted to give you a few headlines for a few weeks, but no, nothing’s changed,” he told media in Wellington on Friday of his suggestion that Barrett and Mo’unga were competing for the same position on the team.
“They both want to be 10. Beaudy still wants to play 10, but we also know how influential he can be at 15.”
The influence Barrett wields is undeniable, as evidenced by his two World Rugby Player of the Year accolades and 83 test caps for New Zealand.
His trophy cabinet, which boasts a World Cup, a Super Rugby title and multiple Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup crowns, is a testament to that as well.
The All Blacks team has been named to play Australia in the opening Bledisloe Cup test on Sunday.https://t.co/oDyY8UwD9d
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There was also an obvious correlation between the Blues’ resurgence in Super Rugby with Barrett’s relocation to Auckland this season, yet it’s that arrival at Eden Park that allowed his younger brother Jordie to shine at the Hurricanes.
With the Wellington franchise stripped bare of the magical touches, electric running ability and game-breaking x-factor that Beauden brings to every side he plays for, a hefty weight of responsibility was subsequently placed on the shoulders of Jordie.
Tasked with guiding his backline around the park without the assistance of his older sibling brought out the best of the 23-year-old, though, as he was forced into stamping his authority over matches he otherwise would have been a passenger in.
In doing so, he shed his reputation of being a rocks-and-diamonds type player, one that was just as prone to making a costly error or poor decision as he was capable of doing something extraordinary.
Instead, Jordie played a starring role from his preferred fullback spot for the Hurricanes, often becoming a composed, controlled and central figure in pivotal moments to earn his side victories they may not have attained without him.
However, it’s on the wing that the 17-test Barrett finds himself in while his brother reclaims the No. 15 jersey, nearly a whole year after the All Blacks last played in the World Cup bronze final against Wales.
Foster suggested that abnormally extensive gap between fixtures might have played a role in keeping the status quo in terms of selection.
“When a team goes into the first test, they’re always trying to find their feet. We’ll be the same trying to find our feet structure-wise and having both those guys [Mo’unga and Beauden] on is really important.”
Still, that doesn’t address that Jordie, a player many considered to be one of the best – if not the top performer – in Super Rugby Aotearoa, has been picked outside of the position he had seemingly found a home for himself in.
Perhaps a victim of his vast versatility, the younger Barrett has played in every backline position bar halfback since bursting onto the scene with the New Zealand U20 side in 2016.
That persistent changing of positions may have been a factor in regular inconsistencies at the dawn of his career, but those vulnerabilities went out the window as he enjoyed a sustained run as a senior backline leader from fullback at the Hurricanes.
“Clearly it was an area, in the past, where perhaps he made a few errors,” Foster said of Jordie’s development as a decision maker.
“He’s been a kid on the big stage, and because of his talent, he’s played at a higher level very young and played some big test matches very young, but how impressive has he been this year?
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“To become probably one of the key leaders in that Hurricanes team and to take control of a whole lot of situations, so that looking and helping others has actually helped his game.”
It’s for that reason that Barrett has been granted a starting spot in a position that he isn’t overly familiar with, but one that will keep him on the field and will accommodate for two of the squad’s most indispensable players in Beauden and Mo’unga.
In doing so, that seems to adhere to Foster’s tactical approach of keeping all his best players on the park, even if it means fielding them astray from their best positions.
“The thing is we still want to keep him in that space. I don’t want him to go in his shell and I want him to be influential on our park. The more times he can be involved, the better for us,” Foster said.
That isn’t to say that he won’t feature for the All Blacks at fullback, a position not too dissimilar to his new wing role, over the coming weeks.
How Jordie adapts to what’s required of him at fullback in the national set-up, which sounds different to that of what was asked of him at the Hurricanes, will be the determining factor in that positional shift.
“Can he? Yes he can. Is it his strength? No it’s not. But, is he working on it? Yes,” Foster said when asked if the younger Barrett is capable of slipping in to fill one of the playmaking roles as part of New Zealand’s 10-15 axis.
“So the answer is that’s a requirement of our game, and so he’s working hard in that space, but I’m not worried about putting him in the 15 jersey.
“I think I said he’s been the form 15, there’s no doubt about that. We’ve been impressed with him, and that’s why he’s on the field.
“We’ll look at ways to incorporate that into our game, but, in terms of going forward, that’s his work-on as it is [for] the likes of Damian [McKenzie].”
And what does the man himself think of being at the centre of the big selection shock leading into the first test of the year?
“Any opportunity, like I said, to start for the All Blacks is massive, and I’m not going to fight over it with my brother,” Jordie said.
“He’s got the jersey and I’m just looking at the things I can do on the wing to help the team hopefully get the win on the weekend.
“Look, [there’s] a lot of the same principles as fullback on the wing, and I’ll just be looking to be strong on the wing on Sunday.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
28 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
1 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
28 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
2 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
2 Go to commentsWhy not let the media decide. Like how they choose the head coach. Like most of us we entrust the rugby system to choose. A rugby team includes the coaches. It's collective.
14 Go to commentsHi NIck, I have been very impressed with him and he seems a smart player who can see opportunities which Bobby V _(who must be an international 6_) doesn’t see or have the speed to take advantage of. If he continues to improve and puts on 5kgs then he could be a great 8. He is a bit taller than Keiran Reid at 1.93m and 111 kgs, so his skill set fits his body size and who knows where it will lead. I hope the spate of Achilles tendon issues have been dealt with by the S&C people. It’s been a very long time since Mark Loane and Kefu stood out at 8. The question is will we be able to hold onto him, if he does make it he will be pretty hot property. I disagree with the idea of letting them go to the Northern Hemisphere and then bring them back.
28 Go to commentsBilly Fulton 🤣🤣🤣🤣 garrrmon not even close
14 Go to commentsDoes the AI take into account refs? hahaha Seriously why not have two on field refs to avoid bias?
24 Go to comments