In defence of Beauden Barrett
The pressure building on Beauden Barrett has been palpable this year.
The back-to-back World Player of the Year has faced rising upstarts Damian McKenzie and Richie Mo’unga and calls grew in some circles for an end to his reign as the All Blacks‘ starting first five-eighth.
A French series marred by an early concussion in the second test didn’t help, before a four-try performance against the Wallabies re-affirmed Barrett as New Zealand’s favourite 10. However, despite the missed conversions, Barrett’s performance against the Springboks was arguably his best of the year in the black jersey.
The missed conversions and drop-goal gaffe are taking the spotlight away from a game that saw Barrett in a different light.
There were signs against the Springboks that his game is maturing and he is moving towards becoming a true ball-playing 10 capable of pulling the strings at the line, which should outweigh a four-try outing where only one was of Barrett’s own brilliance.
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He dealt with line speed pressure well, played flat and passed late, attacked the line and made good decisions all while executing at a high level. He exposed the Springboks on a number of occasions in the first half, with four line break assists, two of which lead to All Black tries.
To put half that into context, he had 14 line break assists in total over 16 Super Rugby games this season.
This was Barrett picking apart a team in a fashion not yet seen before at this level. He added more line break assists and another try assist in the second half, however, credit must be given to Rieko Ioane for working his magic with a sideline tightrope walk.
He has always had a world-class running game, superhuman anticipatory instincts and a serviceable distribution game, but the missing ingredient has been the ball-playing ability to truly round out his attacking game.
He can keep a play alive with an offload or audacious right-hand flick but this is usually after Plan A, running, has failed.
The times he did run against the Springboks he was contained, but he showed he wasn’t locked down to the one idea. He looked for options each time keeping the ball in two hands, used a double pump fake frequently, and was always looking for an open runner. His decisions to hold onto the ball and take contact were generally based on good defence when nothing presented, showing patience.
The area most deserving of criticism is parts of game management – the All Blacks went away from what was working and pulled out Barrett’s cross-field kicks late in the first half, which opened the door for the Springboks to get into the match by handing over easy possession.
The drop goal non-decision can be considered in this category too.
While the game can be won in the dying stages it is never ‘only’ lost in that last moment. You could point to many different events in the match that, if played differently, would result in a different outcome. The opportunity was missed, sure, but blaming the loss on it is too simple and is an injustice to the complexity of the game.
With the current All Blacks lineup, the goal-kicking woes can be solved at any time by simply handing the tee to brother Jordie while Damian McKenzie can take over the duties as a late-game fullback replacement. That is, if faith is completely lost in Barrett’s ability.
What’s not so easy to fix is a 10 who is deficient at playing at the line, creating opportunities with his wrists. If Barrett can master that, he will become the polished 10 that no opposition wants to see – and there were signs in that game that this is starting to happen.
Comments on RugbyPass
Wonderful insightful interview with Crusader Johnny McNicoll. He was exceptional in the wins over the Chiefs and Rebels and I am sure he will get a contract again for 2025. He was an excitement machine for Canterbury and the Crusaders in 2011-16 and he still is. He has added to the attack particularly. Had a fine career with Wales in the intervening years.
1 Go to commentsAmazing what decent coaching can do! I always felt Folau never improved much as a player and never had a great coach using his talents. Suli seems different at qld this year.
8 Go to commentsI’m sick to death of waiting 3 years for league players to become half decent. It cripples Australian rugby in the meantime. The Reds actually looked half competent without Vunivalu not starting last week. He’s just a liability of errors. Paisami is looking better than he has in previous years but I’d have Kerevi back in a flash. A kiwi wont tho …...
8 Go to commentsExcellent analysis Nick as we have come to expect. I was not really aware that NFL strategies have been adopted by rugby teams, especially in defence. One point I would make is that the Northhampton attacking player on the end of the chain in the video examples has not maintained the correct depth to be effective. In the footage shown the outside player is too flat to make the best of the opportunity his inside players have provided. In each case they have to reduce speed and turn their body backwards to secure the ball, losing all momentum and giving the impressive scrambling defence the chance to shut down the threat.
1 Go to commentsMorning, John. Do you think that it may be a good idea to rest both teams from the Madrid comp leading in to the Olympics
2 Go to comments« I am preparing myself for much more, something much bigger. I’m focussing on the next cycle, » You don’t say…
1 Go to commentsGeez plenty of time to come right before test season starts. Dont panic mr Mannering!!!!!
1 Go to commentsGreat read Nick. The Reds really have been great to watch this year, and the improvement of not only the players you mention, but the squad in general has been obvious. The Reds 10/12 play making axis is a nice counterpoint to the 10/15 partnership at the Brumbies and Rebels. If Schmidt was to pick say, Lolesio, Paisami and Wright / Kellaway, would this be too many play makers? I notice in a lot of those clips Tim Ryan playing across the field in support of Vunivalu. Is this a feature of Kiss’s structure?
8 Go to commentsSo sad, god rest him. Too young to be gone. RIP
2 Go to commentsRIP big man 🙏
2 Go to commentsThe GB coach. “Just because we don’t get together as much as other teams we don’t use that as an excuse for performances when we don’t hit the mark”. Why mention it at all then?
1 Go to commentsNo mention of the yellow card for Harlequins which really cost them.
3 Go to commentsThought you’d left us Nick. Good to have you back writing for us. So hunter ikitau works? I reckon wright kellaway as two of the back 3. Tim Ryan and Toole looking good for strike winger but I still want the power of korobeiti and figure our forwards still need him to help them out. Million dollar question is who plays 10? I’m thinking Noah for his kicking and combo with wright. Reckon the pair adds up to an attack and kellaway will help. Can you comment on Zac Lucas in Japan? How is he going?
8 Go to commentsMack Hansen, Ethan Roots, Taine Plumbtree, Louis Lynagh, Emmanuel Meafou? Which country do you want to pick your Barbarians from?
3 Go to commentsInstead of apologising, try to act like an adult, fcknut.
3 Go to commentsLooks like the Force twisted his leg…ahem arm
7 Go to commentsScotland should change their name to the Barbarians
3 Go to commentsThe game was already over leave the bloke alone ….from a Welsh fan 😀👍
3 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
8 Go to commentsAnother non Scot for the anti Scot Townsend. Soon there will be no Scottish born and bred players in the National team.
3 Go to comments