1
'It's an ongoing work-on': Barrett praises teammates, acknowledges own imperfections
Blues first five and stand-in captain Beauden Barrett has praised the work of his teammates following the team’s 35-6 win over the Highlanders but remained remarkably humble concerning his own performance on Saturday night.
ADVERTISEMENT
Barrett scored two tries and assisted one in the quarter-final victory and finished the match with over six beaten defenders and 80 metres to his name.
While his second try may have come courtesy of Rieko Ioane, who passed to Barrett when he likely could have scored himself, the first was entirely a product of his own making, with Barrett sprinting through a gap in the defence from first receiver, fending off prop Ethan de Groot and making a beeline for the line.
All in all, it was an impressive performance – one that reinforced Barrett’s position as the first-choice All Blacks flyhalf – but the 31-year-old suggested it wasn’t quite as complete a showing as it may have looked to your average viewer.
“When I stay engaged and maximise my involvement I feel good,” he said following the victory. “The challenge is not to drift and limit those options.
“It’s an ongoing work-on and obviously being the link between the forwards and the backs gives the whole team those opportunities to keep teams honest in defence. That’s where I think tonight I didn’t get it right all the time so I need to be hard on myself and stay active.
“Generally feeling pretty good but I’ll be hard on myself when I look at the tape.”
ADVERTISEMENT
View this post on Instagram
Barrett revealed he was surprised as everyone else when Ioane gave him the ball with the flying midfielder in the clear but suggested he would “thank him again, just to let him know it was well-received” and praised the general work of Ioane, inside centre Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and fullback Stephen Perofeta for guiding the Blues around the park.
“When we got a little bit of go-forward or on the back of some good carries, we saw some guys shine,” he said. “We had opportunities on the back of that. It just came down to us doing the basics well initially to give us those opportunities and took a while to find our way to do that. We got there in the end and we saw guys like Roger (take advantage).
“And I thought Rieko’s distribution was really good tonight – it’s come a long way. All the guys in the backline have a lot of talent so we just try and get the ball into space and let them shine. [Perofeta] is hard to handle at the moment; he’s really decisive and I’m just stoked for him.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Barrett also acknowledged the continued growth of Tuivasa-Sheck, in his first year of playing rugby union professionally after a long career in the NRL.
“What I’m getting is a lot more solutions, feedback,” he said. “Rather than it only being one way, it is a two-way thing.
“That’s great, it just shows how well he’s understanding the game now and I think Rieko’s been a great help with him too, just offering his advice and I’m just happy to see Rog develop the way he has.”
Coach Leon MacDonald had similar praise for the All Black-in-waiting.
“He’s just starting to play with a lot of freedom now,” the former test fullback said. “I think he’s not thinking about where he should be standing and what a spiral pass feels like. He’s thinking about playing rugby and he’s starting to get his eyes up and he gets excited when the ball’s around him and he wants to play and that’s really great.
“It gives guys like Beauden the confidence to let it go. Now he’s starting to become quite demanding of people around him when they’re not moving quickly or calling for the ball so I thought tonight’s another step forward for him.
“We need him to be that player. We need him to really stand up and his leadership skills that he’s shown with the Warriors, he’s able to start bringing that confidently to the Blues now.”
MacDonald was also pleased with the impact added by his substitutes – especially wing AJ Lam, who joined the fray shortly before halftime after utility back Bryce Heem went down with an injury. Lam scored a well-taken try from a Barrett up-and-under and was generally threatening whenever the ball was in his mitts – and could be in line for a start next weekend against the Brumbies.
“I thought he was brilliant,” said MacDonald. “He competed really well in the air, he defended well, he was physical, he was able to shrug a few tackles and get over the gain line for us.
“I suppose the game against the Waratahs gave him some extra minutes and a few guys were able to come [into this match] on the back of that game, come into the squad and do a good job for us. Zarn [Sullivan] came off the bench and put a nice little kick in and put a few good tackles in so some good confidence there from guys coming off the bench.”
The Blues will square off with the Brumbies at Eden Park next Saturday to determine who will play in the Super Rugby Pacific grand final a week later.
Comments on RugbyPass
Must be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
25 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
25 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
25 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to comments