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'I've got no doubt I wasn't the best out and out 15': Beauden Barrett concedes fullback race as he eyes return to All Blacks fold
All Black Beauden Barrett has made a shock confession as he eyes up his return to New Zealand later this season after completing his sabbatical with Suntory Sungoliath in the Japanese Top League.
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The Blues playmaker conceded that he wasn’t the best fullback in the country last year, despite playing in the 15 jumper for most of the All Blacks season. His lone appearance in the familiar 10 jersey came in Brisbane as the All Blacks lost 24-22 to the Wallabies.
Speaking to Stuff.co.nz in a wide-ranging interview, Barrett said he bought into ‘the system’ that required two 10s in the 10 and 15 positions but confirmed that it is all it was, and he had a desire to return to 10 full-time.
“I’ve always wanted to be team first [but] I guess this 10-15 thing has been a system selection,” he told Stuff.
“I’ve got no doubt I wasn’t the best out and out No 15 for the All Blacks, especially with Jordie [Barrett] and Damo [Damian McKenzie] around last year.
“But the way we wanted to play I could understand that and I bought into that.
“But going forward there’s no hiding from the fact that Damian and Jordie and Will [Jordan] are all playing great rugby.
Damian McKenzie has been one of the form players in Super Rugby Aotearoa for the resurgent Chiefs, along with both Jordie Barrett and Will Jordan, making for a congested field for the All Blacks 15 jersey.
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Both McKenzie and Jordie Barrett are goal kicking options, while the try-scoring exploits of Jordan cannot be ignored with another double against the Blues over the weekend taking his tally to 19 Super Rugby tries in 26 games.
Should Barrett look to win back the 10 jersey he held from 2016 to 2019, he will have to oust Crusaders dynamo Richie Mo’unga who has had another stellar Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign as he chases his fifth title with the Christchurch-based franchise.
In Barrett’s favour is the fact that he has produced consistently at an extremely high level in the All Blacks environment for the better part of a decade, winning two World Player of the Year awards as a 10 in 2016 and 2017.
One of the criticisms aimed at Richie Mo’unga is we are yet to see the same Super Rugby form on a consistent basis at the international level.
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The Crusaders flyhalf most memorable outing was a starring two-try performance against the Wallabies in Sydney last year, where the All Blacks thrashed a hapless side 43-5 with 19-year-old debutant Noah Lolesio pulling the strings at 10.
Just as it seemed that Mo’unga had found dominant form at the next level, that performance was followed up with a disappointing loss to the Pumas in Western Sydney.
29-year-old Barrett will be looking to jump straight into the All Blacks environment from the Top League, which he was confident of being able to do.
“I’d fully back myself,” Barrett said.
“Obviously we have a two-week quarantine period when we have to maintain fitness levels and then two or three weeks before our first game if we are selected in the All Blacks.
Barrett’s confidence was backed up by former Crusaders coach Robbie Deans earlier this month, who coaches the Panasonic Wild Knights in the Top League and is well aware of the standard of play.
Deans believed that there is no doubt that Barrett can go from playing in the Top League to playing test rugby for the All Blacks having seen Sam Whitelock and Matt Todd already make the same transition.
“Of course they can,” Deans told Newstalk ZB’s Martin Devlin.
“And you’ve seen it in the last two years. You saw it with Matt Todd, he was chosen for the All Blacks from Panasonic, you saw it with Sam Whitelock when he came back for that [The Rugby Championship] campaign last year.
“[Whitelock] was pre-maturely included due to Covid last year. He went back and played the house down in Super Rugby last year and won another title.
“Yes, is the answer.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe 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….
77 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 💪
13 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.
13 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.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 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?
13 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?
44 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 comments