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'I'm not keeping any secrets' - Jordie Barrett is clear about his preferred position after star performance
After one of the most impressive individual performances in recent rugby memory, Hurricanes star Jordie Barrett made it clear that his best position is fullback.
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Barrett was a clear standout in round five of Super Rugby Aotearoa, scoring all of his side’s points in their crucial win over the Highlanders in Dunedin.
Barrett, who crossed for a hat-trick of tries, also broke the record for most points scored by one player in a Super Rugby Aotearoa match, with his 30-point haul. He broke a record that had only been set the previous weekend when Crusaders pivot Richie Mo’unga scored 28 against the Blues in Auckland.
The 24-year-old was also perfect with his six shots at goal, and he also made a try-saving tackle on Highlanders winger Freedom Vahaakolo in the first-half.
Less than a week after Richie Mo’unga broke his own record, Jordie Barrett has set a new record for the most points in a Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa match. ?
How good was Jordie on Friday night? pic.twitter.com/0p01GpBDCA
— Super Rugby (@SuperRugbyNZ) March 27, 2021
He was dominant at fullback, and almost unsurprisingly, that’s where he wants to play his rugby.
Barrett has played a lot of positions in the backline, including having previously played 10 for the Hurricanes, and on the wing for the All Blacks last year.
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As well as suggesting that the last time he might’ve scored a hat-trick was “maybe under-eights”, Barrett made it known that he’s a fullback.
“I’m not keeping any secrets about where I want to play,” Barrett said following the Hurricanes’ win over the Highlanders.
“Everyone knows I want to play 15 and I’m enjoying playing 15 for the Hurricanes, and hopefully we can just keep building on this performance. It’s just the start for us.”
With Simon Hickey also ruled out for the season before round one, out with an ACL injury, the Hurricanes have been put to the test at the first-five slot.
Aaron Smith became the most capped Highlander ever on Friday night, when he ran out for his 154th match.#SuperRugbyAotearoa #HIGvHUR https://t.co/kOhsCPlnfM
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 28, 2021
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With regular flyhalf Jackson Garden-Bachop out injured with an Achilles injury, the Hurricanes could’ve looked to Barrett to move into the 10 jersey, but instead looked to Orbyn Leger as the replacement.
But as Hurricanes assistant Cory Jane told media earlier this month, that move “wouldn’t be fair on him.”
“Last year he was the best fullback running around and he’s done some good stuff for us already this year,” Jane said.
Barrett also commented on this potential position switch after the match on Friday.
“As soon as Jacko [Jackson Garden-Bachop] found out his Achilles was no good, Alfie [Jason Holland], he didn’t panic and he told me he was going to keep me at 15 and allow me to continue to try and grow at 15.”
Playing from fullback, one of his best traits watching the match was the leadership that he showed, especially without regular fly-half Garden-Bachop available.
He stepped up as a playmaker to support Leger, with Barrett’s kicking especially eye-catching. His torpedoes looked very tough to bring down, even getting the better of flyhalf Mitch Hunt on one occasion – leading to Barrett’s second try.
“I try and take a little bit of that responsibility off Orbs [Orbyn Leger] just so he can just concentrate on his own game.
“I can try and deliver and pitch-in with team messages and give a bit of direction on the field, just so he can go out there with a clear head and play his game.
“It has been a little bit different, a few different combinations this year but Orbs has been a breath of fresh air. He’s a confident, quiet young boy and he played well tonight.”
For the Hurricanes, getting the win over the Highlanders came at a crucial point in their season, with it being their first win of the year.
“Definitely happy, especially after last week. We needed a response, it’s never good going up 20 points and then making that lead slip.
“It was just nice to translate what we put out during the week onto the park tonight. It wasn’t pretty in the end but we’re just happy with the way we closed it out.
“Things went my way tonight but overall, I’m just stoked we got off the duck egg and got a good performance against the Highlanders tonight.”
The Hurricanes travel to Auckland for another big game against the Blues at Eden Park next Saturday.
Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
69 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments