'Huge for us': Blues excited by Beauden Barrett's return for Chiefs clash
For the first time since 2020, and the first time this year, Beauden Barrett will run out for the Blues after recovering from a concussion that had sidelined him since November.
The All Blacks centurion and two-time World Rugby Player of the Year has been named on the bench by the Auckland-based franchise for their clash against the Chiefs at Eden Park on Saturday.
That fixture will mark Barrett’s first outing for the Blues in two years after he skipped last year’s Super Rugby Trans-Tasman title-winning campaign to take up a season-long sabbatical deal in Japan with Suntory Sungoliath.
In between his Top League spell and his return to the Blues, the 30-year-old playmaker has endured a rough time in the injury ward after he left last year’s test between the All Blacks and Ireland with what seemed at the time to be an innocuous head knock.
What transpired, though, was a lengthy sideline stint that forced Barrett to miss New Zealand’s season-ending defeat to France in Paris, as well as the Blues’ season-opening Super Rugby Pacific loss to the Hurricanes in Dunedin last week.
During that time, Barrett expressed fears for his playing future, but he has now recovered adequately enough to return to action this weekend, much to the delight of Blues assistant coach Dan Halangahu.
“We don’t take chances with anyone’s career or anything like that, so Beauden’s taking his time coming back,” Halangahu told media on Thursday.
“What he has done is add huge amounts off-field. We’re extremely fortunate now we’ve got a little more experience, guys who have been on tour in that November period, such as Rieko [Ioane], but Rieko’s not a lone soldier in the backs anymore.
“Now he’s got a few more allies and leaders coming back from that tour, so Beauden, even though he hasn’t contributed on-field yet, he does add a lot off-field.
“Extremely professional, and drives our backline, in particular, but the whole team to turn up and do well. As I said, to give guys like a Rieko a few more allies, it’s really important for us to grow that leadership throughout the whole group.”
Barrett isn’t the only notable inclusion in the Blues side to face the Chiefs, a match where they will hope to clinch their first win of the season.
Joining Barrett as a new face in the starting lineup is captain Dalton Papalii, who sustained a head knock of his own last week that made him ineligible for selection against the Hurricanes.
A standout for the Blues and All Blacks last year, Halangahu emphasised the importance of having Papalii, and Barrett, back on deck after their side conceded three tries and 19 points in the final 10 minutes of their match against the Hurricanes.
“We were very clear that the last period of the match wasn’t what we wanted, but, in reflection, not having our senior leaders out there and our more experienced players was probably something that contributed,” Halangahu said.
“Getting Dalton back is huge for us, and also Beauden’s come through the week really well. He’s been a while out of rugby, so him easing his way back in is good for us, as well.”
Papalii’s inclusion in the No 7 jersey demotes Adrian Choat to the bench in place of last week’s debutant Anton Segner, while the only other alteration to the starting team comes at fullback, where Stephen Perofeta replaces Zarn Sullivan.
Halangahu indicated that fullback is a hotly-contested position at the Blues, with Perofeta getting the nod this week after Sullivan had the first crack in the No 15 jersey.
“I think you can put it down to the form that Stephen Perofeta’s in,” Halangahu said of Perofeta’s selection.
“He’s extremely unlucky not to be in the starting team in week one. We’ve all seen in NPC, he’s probably the player of the NPC, so it’s the challenge of trying to pick a backline when we’ve got guys competing and performing well.
“It is difficult, and we sit around and have the discussion around who’s in the team this week, and it’s a great problem to have, guys playing well and putting their hand up.
“We feel like we’re starting to build some depth, but, as you said, there’s definitely not satisfaction in 70 good minutes. We get satisfaction from winning games for this team.”
Comments on RugbyPass
We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
55 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
55 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
55 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
55 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
55 Go to comments